April 9, 2026 // Thursday in the Octave of Easter
Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Luke 24:35-48
Reflect on the Word //
It was the night of the Easter Vigil, and from the moment of walking into the church, you could sense the buzz of excitement. The scent of the Easter lilies rose through the air, spirits were high—yet my heart was heavy after an excruciating Lent. Throughout that Lent, my heart wrestled with the haunting thought: Is God even real, and does He care? That part of my heart was still stuck in Good Friday. I didn’t think Resurrection was a possibility.
In today’s Gospel, I was struck by the response of the disciples, as they failed to recognize Jesus within their space. Even after Jesus vulnerably shared His wounds—“Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see” (Luke 24:38-39)—the disciples were still “incredulous for joy” (Luke 24:41). Taking notice of how Jesus greets His disciples with, “Peace be with you” (Luke 24:36), it is clear that Jesus can and desires to pour out peace into the areas of their hearts still consumed by grief and held by hopelessness. The Resurrected Lord is not limited because of their sorrow. Their anguish is what produced their doubt. Jesus doesn’t question their disbelief to make them feel shameful, but instead, He reveals the truth of Who He is. He’s not condemning His disciples, but instead He’s patient and willing to touch the places of their hearts that have yet to be healed.
Sister, the Resurrected Jesus wants to bring you back to life. There’s nothing the Resurrected Jesus can’t do. There’s no place in your heart or story that He doesn’t desire to restore. The peaceful approach of Jesus towards His disciples, is the approach He takes towards your sorrowful places, the areas of your heart that are still in Good Friday. The Resurrection has the final say, and we will be “witnesses of these things”(Luke 24:48). Let us live into this miraculous reality.
Relate to the Lord // Where do you desire to encounter the Resurrected Jesus in your heart or story? Tell Him about it.
Bella Rol is a college student from Monterey, CA and she’s passionate about finding the Lord in the simple things. She was a contributing author to New Wine and GIFT: Eucharistic Study for Teens. In her free time, Bella can be found laughing with her three brothers, enjoying a foamy latte, journaling, doodling, contemplating Jesus in the Eucharist, taking a long walk, or asking Saint Joseph for his intercession.
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