Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thursday within the Octave of Easter
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter three, verses eleven thru twenty-six;
Psalm Eight, verses two(a/b) & five, six & seven, & eight & nine;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter twenty-four, verses thirty-five thru forty-eight.
Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today’s Gospel, the risen Jesus appears to his eleven disciples. They were understandably terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost. But Jesus is quick to disabuse them of this notion: "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."Video reflection by Fr. Roger Lopez, O.F.M. (Franciscan Media): U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
While they were still amazed and incredulous for joy, he stunned them further, saying, "Have you anything here to eat?" With that, they gave him a piece of baked fish, which he ate in their presence.
The bodily resurrection of Jesus—as the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep—is the great sign that heaven and earth are coming together. A body that can be touched and that can consume baked fish has found its way into the realm of heaven.
What does this mean? It means that bodies are not finally alien to God. We have indeed an Advocate in the heavenly places. Were the Resurrection a convenient story or a clever myth, the two realms of heaven and earth would be as separate as ever.
†
Otherwise, 5 April would be the festival of Saint Derfel, Abbot (circa 566-660, A.K.A. Derfel Gadarn, meaning "the Mighty"): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
'Twould also be the festival of Saint Vincent Ferrer, Priest, O.P. (1350-1419, the "Angel of the Last Judgment"), who labored to heal the Western Schism: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Schism-link & Wikipedia-link Schism.
Commentary: Wayback Machine.
'Twould also be the festival of Saint Maria Crescentia Höß, Virgin, T.O.R. (1682-1744; also spelt Höss, Hoess): Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duæ, & Wikipedia-link.
'Twould also be the festival of Blessed Mariano de la Mata Aparício, Priest, O.S.A. (1905-1983): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.
Papal Quote o' the Day
"The Gospel of Easter is very clear: we need to go back there, to see Jesus risen, & to become witnesses of His Resurrection. This is not the time to go back in time; it is not a kind of nostalgia. It is returning to our first love, in order to receive the fire which Jesus has kindled in the world & to bring that fire to all people, to the very ends of the earth."Little Flower Quote o' the Day
—Pope Francis (born 1936; incumbent, since 2013)
"For the sake of Jesus we took His Cross, & for His sake let us persevere in it."Saint Quote o' the Day
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
"It is not the actual physical exertion that counts toward a man's progress, nor the nature of the task, but the spirit of faith with which is is undertaken."
—St. Francis Xavier (1506-1552, feast day: 3 December)
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