Celebrating the Resurrection with Joy...

SIXTH STATION
The Risen Lord Appears to the Community of Disciples

All:

We adore You, O Christ
and we praise You!
Because by the Wood of the Cross and
the Light of the Resurrection,
You have redeemed the world!

Reading: "'Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Touch Me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have,' And as He said this, He showed them His hands and His feet" (Luke 24:38-40).

Reflection:
The disciples on the road to Emmaus quickly returned to the other disciples in Jerusalem with "burning hearts." Their despair had been reversed and they were eager to convince the others that Jesus was alive. Jesus the Christ is always eager to gather the community of disciples at the table of faith and to show them that He has risen with His wounds glorified. All our wounds will one day be glorified. We seek to understand how the Risen Lord invites us to be "wounded healers," recognizing now that the Lord desires us to be ambassadors of reconciliation, while we ourselves are being forgiven and healed.

Silence
Prayer: God of unchanging power and light, look with favor and mercy on the entire community of Your Church. Bring lasting salvation to the human family, so that the world may see the fallen lifted up, the old made new, and all things brought to perfection, through Him who is our origin, our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

All:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
My wounded side, O Thomas see;
Behold My hands, My feet, said He
Not faithless, but believing be. Alleluia.

SEVENTH STATION
The Risen Lord Breathes Peace and Gives the Power to Forgive



All:
We adore You, O Christ
and we praise You!
Because by the Wood of the Cross and
the Light of the Resurrection,
You have redeemed the world!

Reading: Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, 'Peace be with you'... The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so I send you.' And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained'" (John 20:19b, 20b-23).

Reflection:
Even though the doors of the Upper Room were bolted shut, the Risen Lord pierced through all fear and united the hearts of the disciples with the gift of peace. Deep inner peace is the root and source of the peace and joy that the world cannot give. The Risen Lord calls us to seek peace always through a non-violent commitment to conflict resolution and thus transform the world, relationship by relationship.

Silence
Prayer: God of perfect peace, violence and cruelty can have no part of You. May those who are at peace with one another hold fast to the good will that unites them; may those who are enemies forget their hatred and be healed. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

All:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
No longer Thomas then denied,
He saw the feet, the hands, the side;
You are my Lord and God, he cried, Alleluia!