Third Sunday of Easter

First Reading

Acts 3,13-15.17-19

It is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, who has glorified his servant Jesus whom you handed over and then disowned in the presence of Pilate after he had given his verdict to release him. It was you who accused the Holy and Upright One, you who demanded that a murderer should be released to you while you killed the prince of life. God, however, raised him from the dead, and to that fact we are witnesses; 'Now I know, brothers, that neither you nor your leaders had any idea what you were really doing; but this was the way God carried out what he had foretold, when he said through all his prophets that his Christ would suffer. Now you must repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out,

Psalmody

Psalm 4

Antiphon

Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord.

When I call, answer me O God of justice;
from anguish you released me,
have mercy and hear me!

O men, how long will your hearts be closed,
will you love what is futile and seek what is false?

It is the Lord who grants favours to those whom he loves;
the Lord hears me whenever I call him.

Fear him; do not sin:
ponder on your bed and be still.

Make justice your sacrifice
and trust in the Lord.

'What can bring us happiness?' many say
Lift up the light of your face on us, O Lord.

You have put into my heart a greater joy
than they have from abundance of corn and new wine.

I will lie down in peace and sleep comes at once
for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Second Reading

1 John 2,1-5a

My children, I am writing this to prevent you from sinning; but if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the upright. He is the sacrifice to expiate our sins, and not only ours, but also those of the whole world. In this way we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says, 'I know him' without keeping his commandments, is a liar, and truth has no place in him. But anyone who does keep his word, in such a one God's love truly reaches its perfection. This is the proof that we are in God.

Reading of the Gospel

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Yesterday I was buried with Christ,
today I rise with you who are risen.
With you I was crucified;
remember me, Lord, in your kingdom.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Luke 24,35-48

Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of bread. They were still talking about all this when he himself stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you!' In a state of alarm and fright, they thought they were seeing a ghost. But he said, 'Why are you so agitated, and why are these doubts stirring in your hearts? See by my hands and my feet that it is I myself. Touch me and see for yourselves; a ghost has no flesh and bones as you can see I have.' And as he said this he showed them his hands and his feet. Their joy was so great that they still could not believe it, as they were dumbfounded; so he said to them, 'Have you anything here to eat?' And they offered him a piece of grilled fish, which he took and ate before their eyes. Then he told them, 'This is what I meant when I said, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets and in the Psalms, was destined to be fulfilled.' He then opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, 'So it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this.

 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Yesterday I was buried with Christ,
today I rise with you who are risen.
With you I was crucified;
remember me, Lord, in your kingdom.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Homily

The Gospel we heard brings us back to the evening of Easter. It is the last page of the Gospel of Luke. The two disciples of Emmaus return with haste to Jerusalem and tell the disciples what happened to them.
That first evening of Easter Day Jesus entered behind closed doors and placed himself in the midst of the disciples. They were frightened to see him. They were talking about him and yet they did not recognize him. Jesus immediately gave them peace. They were confused, doubtful, incredulous, stubbornly attached to their convictions. They needed that peace! So do we. The Lord's peace is communion, it is joy of living, it is a new heart that regenerates and restores life and hope. Peace is also the gift of a people with whom we can live the dream of Jesus who died and rose again. They cling to their doubts. There is a subtle temptation in doubt that becomes the way not to ever choose, and to nurture an inner reservation. Doubt comes on its own, but when we cultivate and entertain it, it ends up making us believe ourselves to be smart and intelligent, and saddens us. Then Jesus is like a ghost, and ghosts scare us. They are unreal and intangible presences. Jesus appeared several times to the disciples, in "flesh and bones" and even eats with them. Jesus wants them to understand the mystery of God's mercy and stays with them explaining what Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms said about him. And thus their doubts and uncertainties melt. Freed from fear and apprehension, they can be finally entrusted by Jesus with his own mission: that "repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem." Jesus was breaking down the walls of that room and sending them to all peoples. Jesus' universal dream has been clear since the day of Easter. Before bidding them farewell, Jesus says to them: "You are witnesses of these things." This is the first time that the Gospel of Luke uses the term "witnesses" in relation to the disciples. The experience of Easter has transformed them into disciples who hope and believe that death is conquered and that every wound can be healed. It is the testimony that the Church hands down from generation to generation, and that it is also entrusted to us. The Risen Lord wants us to be passionate witnesses and not uncertain and prudent officials; he wants us joyful witnesses and not fearful disciples protected by closed doors; witnesses who live what they communicate and who learn to live it by communicating.