April 8, Thursday in the Octave of Easter

O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name inall the earth!--Psalm 8:2

Mass readings: Acts 3:11-26 / Luke 24:35-48

Not a Ghost Story

My ancestry is Irish, though filtered through several generations who lived in England before coming to America. But I had a high school classmate and another in college who were first-generation Irish-Americans. They often regaled us with the traditional Irish mythology of fairies, banshees (whose wailing presaged a death) and ghosts. The stories of a black ''death coach,'' driven by a headless horseman and pulled by a team of black horses, were especially chilling.

In today's Gospel reading, the disciples are terrified because they mistake the Risen Jesus for a ghost. But Luke isn't telling goblin tales. Jesus assures the disciples, ''Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.'' The wounds of crucifixion are still present, but Jesus is truly risen. The disciples' fear yields to joy.

Prayer: May the good news of Your resurrection, Lord, be ever in my heart.