If our words are not consistent with our actions, they will never be heard

“If you would convince a man that he does wrong, do right. But do not care to convince him. Men will believe what they see. Let them see.” - Henry David Thoreau (1817 – 1862 American author)

Gospel Text: (LK 24:35-48)

The disciples of Jesus recounted what had taken place along the way,
and how they had come to recognize him in the breaking of bread.

While they were still speaking about this,
he stood in their midst and said to them,
“Peace be with you.”
But they were startled and terrified
and thought that they were seeing a ghost.
Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled?
And why do questions arise in your hearts?
Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.
Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones
as you can see I have.”
And as he said this,
he showed them his hands and his feet.
While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed,
he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?”
They gave him a piece of baked fish;
he took it and ate it in front of them.

He said to them,
“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you,
that everything written about me in the law of Moses
and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.”
Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
And he said to them,
“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer
and rise from the dead on the third day
and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,
would be preached in his name
to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things.”

Today’s gospel from Mass ends with the sentence, “You are witnesses of these things.” So I guess the question we all have to ask ourselves is - Are we witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection in our everyday life?

One of the people who inspired me was a middle-aged widow from my parish who worked two jobs to feed and educate her two children. And yet she found time to be of help to the old and sick in her neighborhood, and was a source of energy in the Church community. Her prayer flowed into action, and her simple, quiet life was a living witness to others. For me, and many others, she allowed Christ’s love and light burning in her heart, to shine through her and take away the darkness in those she served without trying to draw attention to herself.

“You are witnesses of these things.” (Lk 24:48)

These are Jesus’ words to his close friends soon after the Resurrection, when he appears to them in Jerusalem. And these are the same words he has for us this very day!