Praying the Communion antiphon series Eastertide: Thursday of the Easter Octave (Easter Thursday)

 Praying the Communion Antiphon Series: Eastertide

He is Risen as He Said

 Easter Thursday — A Chosen People

Communion Antiphon

“O chosen people, proclaim the mighty works of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light, alleluia.” (cf. 1 Peter 2:9)

 

1. Thinking about the Words

“Chosen… called… proclaim…”

These are not passive words.

They speak of:

• identity
• movement
• mission

 

 Chosen people

Not because of achievement or not because of worthiness but because God has drawn us to Himself.

 

Called out of darkness

This is very real. Darkness is not abstract: It is

• confusion
• fear
• sin
• heaviness

We know it.

And yet:

we are called out not left there

 

Into his wonderful light

Not just light— but wonderful light

There is joy here. Beauty. Clarity. Life.

 Proclaim

Not keep it. Not hold it quietly. But share it.

 

2. The Gospel Connection — Encounter

Today’s Gospel (Gospel of Luke 24:35–48) continues the moment of encounter.

The disciples:

• have seen
• have heard
• have touched

And now Jesus opens their minds to understand.

 

And then: He sends them

 

Now hold the antiphon and the Gospel together:

• The antiphon says: “proclaim the mighty works”
• The Gospel shows: disciples being prepared to be sent

 

They are no longer:

• just witnesses
• just receivers

They are becoming proclaimers

 

 3. For Us — Where is Resurrection today?

If I have been:

• called
• brought out of darkness
• drawn into light

Then this is not only for me.

 

Where might I be invited today to:

• speak a word of hope
• share something of faith
• live in a way that reflects light

 

Not loudly or not forcefully. Rather simply  as someone who has been called

 

A quiet question

Do I live as though I am still in darkness…
Do I live as someone who has already been brought into light?

 

Why do the disciples not recognise Him?

After the Resurrection, Jesus is:

• the same
• and yet not the same

He is not a ghost. He is not a different person. He is transformed.

We see this across the Gospels:

• Mary Magdalene thinks He is the gardener
• the disciples on the road do not recognise Him
• even in the upper room, they are startled

So yes—His appearance is not immediately recognisable in the ordinary way.

 

2. But the deeper reason is within them

This is the more important layer. Their minds and hearts are still shaped by:

• grief
• shock
• trauma
• expectation of death

They have seen:

• crucifixion
• loss
• the end of everything they hoped for

 

So even when Jesus stands before them: they are not yet able to receive what they are seeing

 

 3. Their expectation is “stuck”:

“their brain had got stuck… in a loop”  They are still living inside the belief:

 “Jesus is dead” So everything they see is filtered through that.  Even truth… gets misinterpreted.

 

 4. Recognition comes as a gift, not a deduction

This is very important. They do not “figure it out.”

Instead:

• Mary hears her name
• the disciples recognise Him in the breaking of the bread
• Jesus opens their minds

 Recognition is given, not achieved

 

 5. When there is too much to process

When something is overwhelming:

• the mind protects itself
• it slows things down
• it cannot absorb everything at once

So, the Resurrection is not: instantly understood. It is: gradually received

 

So what is “stopping” them?

Not just one thing:

• a transformed presence
• grief and trauma
• fixed expectations
• emotional overwhelm

And yet…

Nothing is actually blocking Jesus.  He keeps:

• coming
• speaking
• showing
• giving

 

And this is where it becomes very personal

Because we do the same.

Sometimes:

• we don’t recognise grace
• we don’t recognise His presence
• we don’t recognise what is new

Not because He is not there. But because we are still holding onto what we expected.

 

You might carry this today:

“Lord… help my heart catch up with what You are doing.”

 

 Final thought

The disciples are not failing.  They are: being led, step by step, into something too big for them

And Jesus is incredibly patient with that.

 

And so with us.  He does not rush us or put pressure on us to “get it.”

 He invites us to just:  walk, listen, receive. Until… recognition comes.

The Church gives us 50 days to celebrate this Resurrection.

 4. Prayer

Lord Jesus,
You have called me out of darkness
into Your wonderful light.

Help me to live as one who is chosen,
not in pride,
but in gratitude.

Give me the courage to proclaim,
not with many words,
but through the way I live this day.

Let Your light be seen in me.

Alleluia.

 

He is Risen As He Said.