Category: Inspiration Daily

Happy Easter! I love today’s Gospel passage and the passage that immediately precedes this one (The Road to Emmaus). There are so many beautiful proofs of the Catholic faith in just these few Bible verses. Today’s Gospel hints at a core Catholic teaching: The Resurrection of the Body. Jesus proves He is not just a ghost by inviting the disciples to touch him and feel flesh and bones. A ghost cannot eat; Jesus takes fish and eats it in their presence. With these actions, Jesus is obviously present in His human body. 

Later John tells us: “Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2) While we cannot know everything that lies ahead of us regarding the joys of Heaven, we do know that we will be like Jesus. Therefore, we know that our bodies will be resurrected at the end of time to live in Heaven forever. 

As someone who has struggled with weight and body image, this belief is jarring at first. I want to shed my body forever when I die, not get it back! However, we will get our bodies back, but they will be glorified bodies. Things that caused health issues and struggles in this life will no longer be in Heaven. Jesus has his wounds from the Crucifixion on His body, but they no longer hurt him. 

Today, let us give thanks for the gift of our bodies. Let us realize they are good and made in the image of God. And let’s take care of them the best we can on this earth, because the Holy Spirit dwells in them.

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¡Feliz Pascua! Me encanta el pasaje del Evangelio de hoy y el pasaje que precede inmediatamente a este (El camino a Emaús). Hay tantas pruebas hermosas de la fe católica en solo estos pocos versículos de la Biblia. El Evangelio de hoy insinúa una enseñanza católica fundamental: la Resurrección del Cuerpo. Jesús demuestra que no es solo un fantasma al invitar a los discípulos a tocarlo y sentir carne y huesos. Un fantasma no puede comer; Jesús toma pescado y lo come en presencia de ellos. Con estas acciones, Jesús está obviamente presente en Su cuerpo humano.

Más adelante, Juan nos dice: “Amados, ahora somos hijos de Dios; aún no se ha manifestado lo que hemos de ser. Sabemos que cuando se manifieste, seremos semejantes a él, porque lo veremos tal como él es” (1 Juan 3,2). Si bien no podemos saber todo lo que nos espera en cuanto a las alegrías del Cielo, sí sabemos que seremos como Jesús. Por lo tanto, sabemos que nuestros cuerpos resucitarán al final de los tiempos para vivir en el Cielo para siempre.

Como alguien que ha luchado con el peso y la imagen corporal, esta creencia me resulta chocante al principio. Quiero deshacerme de mi cuerpo para siempre cuando muera, ¡no recuperarlo! Sin embargo, recuperaremos nuestros cuerpos, pero serán cuerpos glorificados. Las cosas que causaron problemas de salud y batallas en esta vida ya no existirán en el Cielo. Jesús tiene sus heridas de la Crucifixión en Su cuerpo, pero ya no le duelen.

Hoy, demos gracias por el don de nuestros cuerpos. Reconozcamos que son buenos y están hechos a imagen de Dios. Y cuidémoslos lo mejor que podamos en esta tierra, porque el Espíritu Santo habita en ellos.

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“Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!”

What harsh words to hear from Christ! True, the disciples on the road to Emmaus did not realize (yet) that He was the one speaking. But even after this gentle rebuke, they still invite Him to stay with them after a long day of travel. There is something in their hearts that longs for more words from their Teacher. After all, the truth Christ speaks to them is what they were made for – not the panic and worry of the town they’ve just left behind.

“Were not our hearts burning within us while He spoke to us on the way?” Even before Christ made Himself known in the breaking of the bread, He was revealing Himself to them. In their heart of hearts, they recognized Truth when He spoke, and it brought them courage and hope. 

How often in the journey of life are we discouraged along the way? The news programs, the media outlets, our next-door neighbor, the tabloids in the check-out aisle … the sources of disheartening news go on and on, and there seem to be more of them every day. We can imagine the disciples from Emmaus felt much the same. They have faithfully followed Christ, only to see Him tried unfairly and then brutally killed, and His followers virtually disbanded. They were sure Christ must have been the Messiah – but where are all His promises now? 

Naturally, they are surprised when Christ asks them about the cause of their dismay. What traveler in or out of Jerusalem wouldn’t know about the death of the Christ? “Haven’t you heard? It’s all over town!” For these disciples, the blustering and blowing of temporary news has nearly drowned out the lasting words of Scripture and of Christ’s teachings before His death.

So, Christ journeys with them, both literally and figuratively, encouraging them on the road. He delves into Scripture, explaining how each Old Testament prophecy has been fulfilled in Him. His gentle rebuke, His explanation of Scripture, and His sanctifying presence at their meal, all remind them – and us, thousands of years later – about lasting truths: God’s promises in Scripture, His enduring love for us, the hope He has been offering us since man’s fall from grace. He has not left us alone for a single moment. 

Christ’s presence in this passage serves as a reminder of a much deeper, lasting peace that endures beyond the tempests of the world. Are we, like those disciples, also foolish sometimes? Have we been slow of heart to believe His promises, the truths that endure even after empires fall and peoples perish? His word has been true from the very beginning of time, and it will be true to the very end. No matter what storms the journey of life brings, He reminds us that we will always encounter Him in Scripture and the sacraments, and in Him, find true and enduring peace.

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“¡Qué insensatos son ustedes y qué duros de corazón para creer todo lo anunciado por los profetas!”

¡Qué palabras tan duras escuchar de Cristo! Es cierto que los discípulos en el camino a Emaús no se dieron cuenta (todavía) de que Él era el que les hablaba. Pero incluso después de esta suave reprimenda, todavía lo invitan a quedarse con ellos después de un largo día de viaje. Hay algo en sus corazones que anhela más palabras de su Maestro. Después de todo, fueron creados para la verdad que Cristo les habla, no para el pánico y la preocupación del pueblo que acababan de dejar atrás.

“¡Con razón nuestro corazón ardía, mientras nos hablaba por el camino y nos explicaba las Escrituras!” Incluso antes de que Cristo se diera a conocer al partir el pan, se les estaba revelando. En lo más profundo de su corazón, reconocieron la Verdad cuando Él habló, y eso les trajo valor y esperanza.

¿Con qué frecuencia en el transcurso de la vida nos desanimamos a lo largo del camino? Los programas de noticias, los medios de comunicación, nuestro vecino de al lado, los tabloides en el pasillo de la caja… Las fuentes de noticias desalentadoras siguen y siguen, y parece que hay más cada día. Podemos imaginar que los discípulos de Emaús sintieron algo semejante. Habían seguido fielmente a Cristo, solo para verlo juzgado injustamente y luego asesinado brutalmente, y sus seguidores prácticamente desbandados. Estaban seguros de que Cristo debía haber sido el Mesías, pero ¿dónde están ahora todas sus promesas?

Naturalmente, se sorprenden cuando Cristo les pregunta cuál es la causa de su consternación. ¿Qué viajero que entra o sale de Jerusalén no sabría acerca de la muerte de Cristo? “¿No te has enterado? ¡Se sabe por toda la ciudad!” Para estos discípulos, el alboroto de las noticias temporales casi han ahogado las palabras duraderas de las Escrituras y de las enseñanzas de Cristo antes de su muerte.

Así que Cristo viaja con ellos, tanto literal como figurativamente, alentándolos en el camino. Profundiza en las Escrituras, explicando cómo cada profecía del Antiguo Testamento se ha cumplido en Él. Su suave reprensión, Su explicación de las Escrituras y Su presencia santificadora en la cena, todo les recuerda a ellos – y a nosotros, miles de años después – verdades duraderas: las promesas de Dios en las Escrituras, Su amor perdurable por nosotros, la esperanza que nos ha estado ofreciendo desde la caída del hombre. No nos ha dejado solos ni un solo momento.

La presencia de Cristo en este pasaje sirve como recordatorio de una paz mucho más profunda y duradera que perdura más allá de las tempestades del mundo. ¿Somos nosotros, como aquellos discípulos, también insensatos a veces? ¿Hemos sido duros de corazón para creer en Sus promesas, las verdades que perduran incluso después de que los imperios caen y los pueblos perecen? Su palabra ha sido verdadera desde el principio de los tiempos, y será verdadera hasta el final. No importa qué tormentas traiga la vida, nos recuerda que siempre lo encontraremos en las Escrituras y los sacramentos, y en Él, encontraremos una paz verdadera y duradera.

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When the disciples are tasked with feeding five thousand men across from the Sea of Galilee, they are understandably dumbfounded: How can they feed so large a crowd with no food of their own, not much money, and five barley loaves and two fish? Yet, they do not bat an eye when Jesus tells them to prepare the crowd for a meal. Instead of relying on their own intuition and arguing with Jesus about the absurdity of feeding over five thousand people with such a small amount of food, they simply do what He says, knowing that He will provide for His people.

The disciples understand our Gospel acclamation, that “one does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). They have no idea how to approach the situation, but they have learned to trust in Jesus’ direction, even for matters of physical survival. His direction is better than anything they could come up with, even if it seems absurd at the time.

This outlook complements that of the psalmist, whose sole aim is to dwell in the house of the Lord rather than in other, more familiar places. And in our First Reading, we see Gamaliel saying something similar: “If [the gospel message] comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God” (Acts 5:39). He does not want to resist something that might come from God, even if he does not understand it.

Gamaliel, the psalmist, and the disciples see the point of remaining fixed on God, trusting in His direction even when it is difficult. They know that if God ordains something, guiding it with His hand, it cannot fail. If He gives direction, it will not be followed in vain. To dwell in His house is better than all else.

This is a profound trust that we need to adopt in our own lives. There is a subtle self-reliance that creeps in when we spend too much time seeking security by our own efforts alone. We plan far ahead, without consulting God concerning what He wants for our lives and for our loved ones. Inevitably, our best laid plans fail, and we make new ones, which fare no better. If we are not used to consulting God and trusting that He truly has things under control, we rely on worldly methods to maintain security, prestige, and wealth, so that we can have everything necessary for a good and peaceful life. Seeking easy steps to success, we look to social media and popular wisdom to solve our problems. If these solutions are divorced from spirituality, they never bring us the peace and security we seek.

Ultimately, we need to trust in what God has already told us through readings such as these. Even and especially when things look confusing and hopeless, God is in control. We must listen to Him and seek His will in these moments through prayer, Scripture, the sacraments, and spiritual direction, trusting in what He tells us, even if we cannot understand the reasons for it. We cannot expect to fully understand the ways of God, but that does not mean that they are inferior to the ways we can come up with on our own. Dwelling in His house is the goal, and His direction and protection are best for us in all situations.

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Cuando los discípulos tienen la tarea de alimentar a cinco mil hombres al otro lado del Mar de Galilea, se quedan estupefactos: ¿Cómo pueden alimentar a una multitud tan grande sin comida propia, sin mucho dinero, cinco panes de cebada y dos peces? Sin embargo, no se inmutan cuando Jesús les dice que preparen a la multitud para una comida. En lugar de confiar en su propia intuición y discutir con Jesús acerca de lo absurdo de alimentar a más de cinco mil personas con una cantidad tan pequeña de comida, simplemente hacen lo que les manda, sabiendo que proveerá para Su pueblo.

Los discípulos entienden nuestra aclamación evangélica, que “No sólo de pan vive el hombre, sino también de toda palabra que sale de la boca de Dios.” (Mt 4,4). No tienen idea de cómo abordar la situación, pero han aprendido a confiar en la dirección de Jesús, incluso en cuestiones de supervivencia física. Su orientación es mejor que cualquier cosa que se les haya ocurrido, incluso si parece absurdo en ese momento.

Esta perspectiva complementa la del salmista, cuyo único objetivo es morar en la casa del Señor y no en otros lugares más familiares. Y en nuestra Primera Lectura, vemos a Gamaliel diciendo algo similar: “si lo que se proponen y están haciendo es de origen humano, se acabará por sí mismo. Pero si es cosa de Dios, no podrán ustedes deshacerlo. No se expongan a luchar contra Dios” (Hechos 5:39). No quiere resistirse a algo que podría venir de Dios, aunque no lo entienda.

Gamaliel, el salmista y los discípulos ven el punto de mantenerse fijos en Dios, confiando en Su orientación incluso cuando sea difícil. Saben que si Dios ordena algo, guiándolo con Su mano, no puede fallar. Si orienta a alguien, sus indicaciones no serán seguidas en vano. Morar en Su casa es mejor que cualquier otra cosa.

Esta es una confianza profunda que necesitamos adoptar en nuestras propias vidas. Hay una autosuficiencia sutil que se cuela cuando pasamos demasiado tiempo buscando seguridad solo con nuestros propios esfuerzos. Planeamos con mucha anticipación, sin consultar a Dios sobre lo que quiere para nuestra vida y la de nuestros seres queridos. Inevitablemente, nuestros planes fallan y creamos otros nuevos, y no nos va mejor. Si no estamos acostumbrados a consultar a Dios y confiar en que realmente tiene las cosas bajo su control, nos apoyamos en métodos mundanos para mantener la seguridad, el prestigio y la riqueza, para que podamos tener todo lo necesario para una vida buena y pacífica. Buscando pasos fáciles hacia el éxito, recurrimos a las redes sociales y la sabiduría popular para resolver nuestros problemas. Si estas soluciones están separadas de la espiritualidad, nunca nos traerán la paz y la seguridad que buscamos.

En última instancia, debemos confiar en lo que Dios ya nos ha dicho a través de las escrituras, como las lecturas de hoy. Incluso y especialmente cuando las cosas parecen confusas y sin esperanza, Dios tiene todo bajo control. Debemos escucharlo y buscar su voluntad en estos momentos a través de la oración, la Escritura, los sacramentos y la dirección espiritual, confiando en lo que nos dice, aunque no podamos entender las razones. No podemos esperar comprender completamente los caminos de Dios, pero eso no significa que sean inferiores a los caminos que podemos encontrar por nuestra cuenta. Morar en Su casa es la meta, y Su orientación y su protección son lo mejor para nosotros en todas las situaciones.

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“When they heard this, they became infuriated and wanted to put them to death.”

The Apostles were so convicted by their experience of Jesus Christ, that they continued to tell his story even when those in power wanted to put them to death. Let that sink in for a moment. They wanted them put to death. And the Apostles did not stop. 

We live in a time when we are taught not to discuss religion and politics. We have witnessed people shamed and brought down for standing up for their convictions. It is a time of “political correctness” and “cancel culture”. 

This hits home hard for me. It is hard for me to even write these words. I am ashamed to admit that there have been times in my life when I have not brought up my faith because I was afraid it would make for an uncomfortable dinner conversation. I have neglected to share the grace I have received, because I wasn’t sure how the person would react, they might think I was weird or worse. I had a job once where I was cautioned to tuck in my crucifix because I was around people who didn’t like Catholics and I complied. No one has threatened my life, but there have definitely been times when I didn’t tell the story of Jesus Christ and the wonders he has worked. For that I am ashamed. 

A personal encounter with Jesus Christ has the ability to transform us. A personal encounter with Jesus Christ is able to take us outside of ourselves and move us into meaningful encounters with others. It is our mission to go out into the world and tell the story of Jesus Christ and his mercy. We are not to tell it once and then go back home, we are to tell the story over and over. More than that, we are to live the story. We are to live in such a way that mercy is our hallmark; where telling others how much they are loved is part of just who we are and how we operate. 

So I will take comfort from John’s words in the Gospel. “He does not ration his gift of the Spirit.” As I bend my will to conform more and more to God’s will, I can trust that God will not ration his gift of the Spirit so that each day I can start anew and along with the Psalmist “bless the Lord at all times.” Even when it feels uncomfortable. 

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