Look at my hands and my feet

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Frieden, Frieden

The Community of Taizé

Today is Thursday the 9th of April, in the first week of Easter.

The community of Taizé sing Frieden, Frieden: Peace I leave you, my peace I give you.

3:06

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke.

Luke 24:35-48

Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, ‘Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.’ And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence.

Then 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, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.

5:23

Christe Salvator

The Community of Taizé

Let this time of prayer start, as the passage itself starts, by hearing Jesus welcoming you with, “Peace be with you”. How do you react to that from where you find yourself today?

Jesus seems very determined to prove to the disciples that he is flesh and blood, not some disembodied spirit. Why do you think that this is so important to him?

The disciples are here described as startled, terrified, frightened, and doubtful. Can you recall a time when you looked for God when you were in that kind of state? What happened?

Notice, as you hear the scripture again, what Jesus says and does to calm their fears.

8:24

Luke 24:35-48

[Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.]

While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, ‘Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.’ And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence.

Then 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, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.'

10:29

In these last moments of prayer, ask for that peace that Jesus offered as today’s prayer began.

12:29

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

World without end

Amen