Grounded in Truth

Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

35 Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
36 [a]While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 38 Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? 39 [b]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.” 40 And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of baked fish; 43 he took it and ate it in front of them.
44 He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. 46 [c]And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day 47 and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.-Luke24:35-48

To be a credible witness, one must be at the very heart of a scene or a situation. If a person makes a story out of lies, sooner or later s/he cracks to pressure as questions come pouring in. One government official is publicly making himself known as part of his preparation for the national election next year. I thought that he was a good leader. But, accusations of corruption come pouring in left and right to such an extent that I cannot possibly believe easily that he's innocent anymore. When one is grounded in lies, the path out of it is always restricted and very difficult.

Jesus personally showed Himself to His disciples. The disciples saw, interacted and touched the resurrected Jesus Himself. Thus, the disciples and us - Christians - through living Jesus' life in our very own existence are credible witness that He is the Messiah, the fulfillment of the Law and the prophets' testimonies. We are credible witnesses because our testimony that Jesus is the Messiah is grounded in pure truth.

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Credible Witnesses

Believe!

9 When he had risen, early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10 She went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.
12 After this he appeared in another form to two of them walking along on their way to the country. 13 They returned and told the others; but they did not believe them either.
14 [But] later, as the eleven were at table, he appeared to them and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who saw him after he had been raised. 15 He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.-Mark16:9-15

There are things that are too good to be true, too good that it cannot be true. And there are things that are too good to be false, too good to be false. In the gospel reading, the disciples have trouble accepting the beautiful testimonies that Jesus is alive. After all, resurrection is something unproven during their time. But in succeeding readings, we can all see their transformation as their minds and hearts are opened to the truth - that Jesus is what the Law and the prophets are talking about, and He rose from the dead. Yes, the first of mankind resurrected and shared with us the promised eternal life. Seeing with their own eyes and experiencing Jesus concretely made the disciples true and credible witnesses to the truth.

Sometimes, we need to believe in something though it may seem impossible and unrealistic at all, for everything is possible with God.

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