19 April 2015
Third Sunday of Easter
Coming out of the Fourth Week of the Spiritual Exercises, there is an excitement and joy that is hard to contain. In the First Reading, Peter (Acts 3:13-19) presents this fire and love for Christ in his speech immediately following the healing of the Crippled Beggar by the “Beautiful Gate” (Acts 3:1-10). At first glance Peter’s message sounds a bit condescending, he is presenting a summary of what happened to Jesus. The underlying theme is despite one’s sins, repentance is possible because of Jesus Christ. The Second Reading (1 John 2:1-5) confirms that through the death of Jesus, humanity’s sins have been washed away. By keeping the commandments, the love of God works in and through us to make us better instruments in God’s vineyard.
In the Easter season, the readings often discuss proof of the Resurrected Jesus and today’s Gospel is no exception. This Gospel presents the conclusion of one of the most famous Resurrection stories, “The Road to Emmaus” (Luke 24:13-35), to once again provide proof for the living Jesus. Hoping to cast aside their doubts that He is a ghost, Jesus provides physical proof of his body by displaying his wounded hands and feet as well as eating food in front of them. While Jesus may never directly appear to us, may we as Christians, through our actions of keeping the commandments provide an example to others of being on fire with the love of Christ.