Thursday, First Week of EasterAnd they remembered his words. Then they returned from the tomb and announced all these things to the eleven and to all the others.
Luke 24:8-9
These women were among the disciples of Jesus that Luke described back in the eighth chapter”
Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities. Mary called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources. (8:2-3)
Luke then describes how Jesus began to tell his disciples that he would suffer, die, and rise from the dead. These women had heard all this, but they don’t really understand. The angels had to remind them.
The Scriptures, the truths of our faith, our customs and traditions aren’t brand new to us. But we need “angels” to remind us of their meaning, to help us see them with fresh eyes, and take them into the changing circumstances of our lives.
Going over the same truths is not like going around in circles. It is more life a spiral staircase. We are in a different place every time we come around again, and we see familiar truths from a new perspective.
There are truths we learned as children that are worth turning over in our minds time and again. There is a god. God loves me. God cares for me. God will take me through death to the other side. God will take me through today.
Spend some quiet time with the Risen Lord.
April 1, 2005April First
In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII introduced the new Gregorian Calendar for the Christian world (which is still used today), and the New Year fell on January 1. Some people either didn’t know about the change or refused to follow the new calendar and continued to celebrate the New Year on April 1. People played tricks on them and called them “April Fools”.
Peter
Peter, along with his brother Andrew, was part owner of a fishing business. His name was Simon, but Jesus renamed him “Rock”. It was not a word used at that time as a proper name. Jesus coined it for him. (The Greek word for rock is “petros” – from which his name has passed into most other languages.)
After the resurrection Peter emerges as the leading figure in the Church at Jerusalem.
According to ancient tradition, he eventually went to Rome, became the leader of the Christians there, and was martyred during Nero’s persecution (64 or 65 A.D.). Early writers tell of his being killed by crucifixion, and that he asked to be put on the cross upside down since he was not worthy to imitate so closely the death of Christ.
Testimony from the end of the second century indicates that he was buried on Vatican Hill. Constantine built a church there in the fourth century and the present St. Peter’s Basilica was built on the same site in the 16th century. Recent excavations beneath the main altar revealed an honored grave there, and the bones (dating to the first century) are thought to be those of Peter.
