Sermon - First Thursday of the Easter Cycle, April 9, 2026

In today's Bible, we encounter a scene that is both very human and at the same time divine.

The students have gathered together, still reeling from the trauma of the Passion of Jesus.

Even though they have heard the testimony of those who say they have seen the Lord, their hearts are still confused; they waver between hope and fear.

And at that very moment, Jesus Christ appears among them and says, “Peace be with you!” But they don’t rejoice immediately as we might expect.

On the contrary, they are seized with fear and think they have seen a spirit. This shows us an important truth: accepting the resurrection was not easy; even for those who walked with Jesus. They doubt. They have difficulty understanding.

It is at this point that the Lord approaches with patience and love. Instead of rebuking them, He invites them to a tangible experience: “Look at my hands and my feet; it is I! Touch me and see!” Jesus clearly wants to show that He is not merely a spirit, not an illusion. He is truly resurrected—body and soul. The marks of the cross are still on him; but now they are not a sign of defeat, but of death being conquered.

And he goes even further: He asks for food and eats in front of them. What a simple yet profound gesture! Eating is characteristic of a living being. Thus Jesus declares: Resurrection is not a symbol, it is real life.

This Bible speaks to us too, because we are often like the apostles. We want to believe, but we doubt. We pray, but our fears persist. We hear of the resurrection, but sometimes we live as if death still has the final say.

How often do we think God is far away? How often do we experience our faith as something purely abstract? Today, the Lord asks us: “Why are you afraid? Why are there doubts in your hearts?” He still reveals Himself to us: in the Word, in the bread, in the community, in love.

Easter reminds us that the Resurrection is not merely an event of the past; it is a reality that is changing the present. Jesus is alive, among us, in a tangible form.

And at the end of the Gospel, Jesus opens the minds of the disciples and sends them to bear witness. This is the most important point: one who encounters the resurrected Lord cannot remain silent. One must bear witness.

Now let us ask ourselves: Are we witnesses of a living Christ, or are we merely repeating a tradition? If Christ is alive, if He is with me, why am I afraid? Why do I still not believe?

This Easter season, let us ask the Lord to strengthen our faith. To help us overcome our doubts. To recognize Him as living and real. And let our lives proclaim: Christ is not a spirit—He truly rose and lives with us!

May the Virgin Mary help us to bear witness that Christ is truly resurrected and alive.