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The
two disciples recounted what had taken place on the way and how Jesus
was made known to them in the breaking of the bread. While they were
still speaking about this, Jesus stood in their midst and said to them,
"Peace be with you." But they were startled and terrified and thought
that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, "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.
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People
have made important discoveries that literally change our way of
looking at the way we live. Thomas Edison, Louis Pasteur, Albert
Schweitzer, Albert Einstein--all have enhanced what you and I do every
day. John Nash, the subject of the movie "A Beautiful Mind" is
part of that elite group. His mathematical views concerning economics
were an incredible contribution to better living. But according
to his own testimony, that was not his greatest discovery. During
this session of the film, in his speech accepting the Nobel prize after
his accomplishments, he told the world what he thought was his most
important discovery. It had nothing to do with mathematics,
nothing to do with the theories of economics. The most important
discovery of his life, he says, lies in the "mysterious equations of
love." He looks directly at his wife Alicia during his speech and
acknowledges the love that she had for him, saying to her, "I'm only
here because of you." He was loved by someone else. When he
discovered that simple fact, everything else was secondary.
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We
don’t know from the
movie “A Beautiful Mind” whether John Nash was a
Christian man, but if he would
have been, he would easily have recognized that his statement was also
the
teaching of Jesus Christ. We
are all loved,
and Jesus is the source. He
assures us
that there is no reason to feel abandoned. In
fact, we are loved and always will be loved by
God. And so, after
his Resurrection, he tells his
Apostles, “Touch me and see.” He
loves
them, and there is no reason to fear.
There are two important lessons here. One is the obvious one—that you and I are loved—by parents, by children, by spouses, by our friends, and by our families. And even if we feel that we are not, we are loved by God. It is a simple fact that can direct our behavior forever. But the obligation that we have as Christian believers to be people who love others is just as true. Our parents, children, spouses, friends, and families must be able to look at us and understand that they are loved—by us. They must understand that love is so important as a principle of life that we not only need it, but we must give it as well. The most important discovery of our lives must be love. |
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THOUGHT
Do you feel that love is a guiding principle in our world today? Yes or no and why? PRAYER Good
and gracious God, your Son wanted us to touch him in times of
trouble and fear in our lives and see that he loves us. Help
us understand your love for us, and help
us learn that lesson as we work in our world. Be
with us, we pray.
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©2007
Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America |