O. M. G.

Today's Scripture

One of the benefits of the TV series ‘The Chosen’ is that it encourages people to remember that the Apostles were actual people and had real experiences and reactions. In this Sunday’s Gospel, we have one of those very important reaction moments. When Jesus appears to the Apostles in the locked room, they realize two very important things simultaneously: one – Jesus is everything He said He was – He is God and two – the last time they saw Him they had abandoned Him. For a disciple of a Rabbi, this was despicable behavior. For a disciple of the Son of God, this deserved a punishment of death.

So what does Jesus do? He immediately forgives them by speaking ‘peace’ on them – twice. And now that they know what is like to be forgiven of the gravest of sins, they are qualified to represent His forgiveness to others – a theme that Jesus repeats frequently in His mission and incorporates into the heart of the Our Father prayer. Forgive us our trespass as we forgive those who trespass against us. Jesus knows how to hit the right timing – while they were right in the middle of the original O.M.G.

EASTER CHALLENGE: Think and pray about one person in your life who you might need to forgive. How can you come to a point of forgiveness with them? One approach is to just say it in prayer. Even if you don't feel it yet. Peter once asked Jesus: Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother who wrongs me? Seven times? Jesus tells him: 70 times 7. Sometimes we have to forgive that many times before our heart can really get behind it.