Thought for the Week

3rd Sunday of Easter in Year B

1st Reading: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19
2nd Reading: 1 John 2:1-5
Gospel Reading Luke 24:35-48

Homily by Fr. Gavin Gomez

This week’s gospel from Luke is very similar to last week’s gospel from John the Evangelist. In Luke’s Gospel, today, this is the third appearance of the Risen Lord. His first appearance was to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus and the second appearance was to Peter the Apostle.

The eleven apostles and the disciples, including the two from Emmaus, who had just arrived in Jerusalem, were together discussing their experiences of the Risen Christ when Jesus appeared to them.

But, the disciples were “alarmed and frightened” because they thought they were seeing a ghost. It seemed that the testimony of Peter and the disciples from Emmaus did not completely remove their doubts on the resurrection.

Jesus said to them “Why are you so agitated and why are these doubts rising in your hearts?” But, perhaps, it was because the Resurrection was a totally new reality for the disciples, a new kind of experience, that needed to be brought down to a human level of acceptance, and, it seemed that this would take more than words for the disciples to understand fully the reality of the resurrection.

This is very much like Thomas the Apostle in last week’s Gospel who doubted until he saw and touched the Risen Lord for himself and only then he exclaimed in full and absolute faith “My Lord and my God”.

The Resurrection is about Jesus being raised from the dead in body, so, Jesus invites the disciples to touch him so that they will know that he is flesh and bones and really alive, not a ghost.

He shows them the wounds of the cross, the visible scars on his hands and feet, he speaks to them in a human voice and eats just as he did before. Now the disciples can see that there is no change between the “Jesus” who ministered to the community and the “Risen Jesus” because he is still a real human being in the flesh. The only difference is that the resurrection has removed Jesus from our condition, that is, the limitations of space and time.

This physical experience of the Risen Lord convinces the disciples that Jesus had defeated death and is truly alive, and so, faith is instantly renewed.

Jesus then “opened their minds” to all that is written about him in the scriptures and instructs them on how he is the fulfilment of the scriptures. Everything that has happened, and which is still to come, is in accordance with the Will of God.

The two disciples on the road to Emmaus had a similar experience when Jesus also explained the scriptures to them. They testified that their “hearts burned within them” when Jesus opened the scriptures to them. But, it was only on the breaking of bread, during the meal they shared, that they recognised that it was Jesus himself present with them.

Jesus also told his disciples that Christ had to suffer and on the third day rise from the dead. This was God’s Plan to save the world and show just how much God loved the world. But, it was the reality of sin in the world that destined Jesus to die on the Cross for us.

Sin separates us from God and it is sin that can ultimately lead to the complete destruction of both body and soul. Now it is through the Grace of our Risen Lord, who died for our sins, that our repentance will bring forgiveness of our sins.

So the disciples are told to go out to all nat ions and preach repentance and the forgiveness of sins. A crucial instruction indeed given by our Lord Jesus Christ within hours of his resurrection. A clear message to all the faithful of the absolute necessity of being reconciled with God at all times through repentance and the forgiveness for our sins. In fact, all three readings today refer to sin and the need to turn away from sin and turn to God.

After instructing his disciples Jesus tells them that now they are true witnesses to the resurrection, but before they begin their missionary activity they must wait until they are vested with power from On High. And, as we already know this power will come at Pentecost when the Apostles and disciples will be filled with the power of Holy Spirit.

30th April 2006