Luke 24:35-48
Chapter 24
While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them. He said to them:
“Peace to you.”
In their panic and fright, they thought they were seeing a ghost,
but he said to them:
“Why are you upset, and how does such an idea cross your minds?
Look at my hands and feet, and see that it is I myself! Touch me and see for yourselves, for a ghost has no flesh and bones as I have!”
As he said this, he showed his hands and feet.
Their joy was so great that they still could not believe it and were astonished; so he said to them:
“Have you anything to eat?”
And they gave him a piece of broiled fish.
He took it and ate it before them.
Then Jesus said to them:
“Remember the words I spoke to you when I was still with you: Everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”
Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
And he said:
“So it was written: the Messiah had to suffer and on the third day rise from the dead.
Then repentance and forgiveness in his name would be proclaimed to all nations beginning from Jerusalem.
And you are witnesses of these things.
Commentaries
Road to Emmaus.
The disciples have traveled with Jesus, but while Jesus’ journey aims ultimately to fulfill the Father’s plan of salvation, the disciples’ journey ends in disappointment, sadness, and frustration: “We had hoped that he would be the one to redeem Israel” (21). This is the perfect moment for the Risen One to begin correcting the disciples’ path, and he does so based on two elements: the first is rooted in Scripture, so he begins there and explains it step by step until they understand. The second element involves the experiential aspect of Scripture that Jesus had already demonstrated throughout his life and that he wanted to symbolize through the act of sharing a meal; here, he shares it with two disciples, but during his life, he shared it with all kinds of men and women. The disciples express what the explanation of Scripture inspired in them: zeal and the power of grace. They also needed to see the sign of the table/bread to understand everything, and then go and tell others.
Appears to the Disciples – Ascension of Jesus.
Gradually, the community of disciples becomes ‘infected’ with faith in the resurrection. What starts as an individual experience turns into a shared one for the whole community. Surely, it was necessary to go through doubts, fear, frustration, and feelings of defeat; that’s why those initial experiences of faith in the resurrection and full adherence to the Risen One can be confusing: they thought they were seeing a ghost (39); however, the Risen One does not ‘give up.’ He is understanding with his disciples, and once again, as in the Emmaus passage, he turns to Scripture and opens their minds to understanding. He also uses the food symbol again. In this way, the community of disciples completes a complete formative process, recalling the words and signs of the Master during his public life. They are now equipped to be witnesses throughout the world, starting with Jerusalem.