As we celebrate the Third Sunday of Easter we once again proclaim, “We are an Easter people and alleluia is our song.” Whatever our circumstances may be, or the circumstances of the world, we gather today in joy because our Lord truly rose from the dead, conquering death and bringing the promise of eternal life. On Easter Sunday we renewed our baptismal promises affirming our faith renouncing sin and evil, promising to follow Christ in the newness of life as we bless ourselves with the Easter water of baptism.
Our readings today take us back in time to the days that followed Jesus’ resurrection. Peter preached in the temple promising forgiveness for those who repent. John wrote to the early Christian community, promising the love of God to those who keep the commandments. Before all this Jesus appeared to his disciples assuring them of his bodily presence and charging them to testify in his name to the whole world.
At the time the resurrected Jesus spoke to his disciples, his words and actions had not yet been written down. But he told his disciples that the words had already been written about him, long before his birth to Mary, words from the law and the prophets and the psalms. In establishing the new covenant, Jesus fulfilled these words. His disciples may not have understood on their own but just as he opened their eyes in the breaking of the bread, he also opened their minds to understand the scriptures. Let us likewise be blessed each week in the liturgy of the word and the liturgy of the Eucharist. Then we can live our lives in the joy of the Resurrection and spread that joy to all we meet.
Love, Peace, Joy,
Fr. Bob
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