April 15, 2018

3rd Sun., Easter

April 15, 2018:  Third Sunday of Easter

See 17 connections with today?
Legend below
Listen

For next Sunday:  Psalm 118:  Cornerstone/ Celoni, sheet music, just written
Pope Francis Gaudete et exsultate nugget
Activity that sanctifies:  Your mission is part of the building of God's kingdom of love, justice and peace.  Christ wants to experience this with you, in all its efforts, sacrifices, joy, and enrichment.  To grow in holiness, you need to give your best to this endeavor.
Integrate silence, interaction with others, peace and quiet, activity, prayer, and service into your life.  We're called to be contemplatives in action, and to grow in holiness by carrying out our mission.
We may be tempted to relegate commitment in the world to second place, as if it were a distraction along the path to holiness, but life is a mission.  What's done out of anxiety or pride won't lead to holiness.  Everything we do should identify us more with Jesus Christ.
Our gadgets, the excitement of travel, superficial pleasures, and the din of discontent can make it hard to hear God’s voice, but we must find space for heartfelt dialogue with God; it's always fruitful.  We must face our true selves and let the Lord enter.
Those distractions can lead us to resent our mission in favor of entertainment or ephemeral pleasures.  Our commitment can weaken, our spirit of service flag.  Can spiritual fervor be sound when paired with sloth in evangelization or in service to others?  We need holiness capable of filling solitude, service, life, and evangelizing efforts, so every moment can be an expression of love and so a step along the path to holiness. [25-31]
Read
  • Acts 3:13-15, 17-19  Peter:  “The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob glorified Jesus, whom you handed over, denied, and killed, but we're witnesses that God raised him.  God has fulfilled what he'd announced through the prophets:  that his Christ would suffer.  So repent and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away.”
  • Ps 4:2, 4, 7-8, 9  "Lord, let your face shine on us."  O God, answer me, have pity on me, and hear my prayer!  You do wonders for your faithful one; you hear when I call.  Shine on us!  You alone bring security to my dwelling.
  • 1 Jn 2:1-5a  I write you so you won't sin, but if you do, you have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, expiation for our sins and the world's.  We're sure we love him if we keep his commandments; if you keep his word, God's love is perfected in you.
  • Lk 24:35-48  The two disciples recounted how Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of bread.  He stood in their midst:  “Peace be with you.”  They were terrified, thinking it was a ghost.  “Why are you troubled?  Look at my hands and feet and touch me; ghosts don't have flesh and bones.”  He asked for something to eat, they gave him some fish, and he ate.  “While I was with you I told you everything about me in the law, prophets, and psalms must be fulfilled.”  He opened them to understand the Scriptures.  “It's written the Christ would suffer and rise, and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached to all nations....”
Reflect

  • Creighton:  Jesus' intimacy with the Emmaus disciples leads them to preach repentance and God's forgiveness.  Every encounter the risen Christ had with persons was a mission-meeting; he didn't tell them to relax and see what would be next.  Intimacy invites us into mystery, adventure, and deeper experience.  Where and to whom is the Risen Christ sending me today?
  • One Bread, One Body:  "Matter of fact":  Since Jesus is God, we should live for him, not ourselves.  He intends to raise us from the dead not only when we die but also today.  No longer fearing death.  we can live free and unselfish lives of love.  To do so, we must believe in Jesus as the Resurrection; his resurrection wasn't symbolic or mythical.  Through Scripture and the breaking of the bread, the Spirit will give us faith to open our eyes to the reality of the risen Christ and power to be his witnesses.
    Emmaus Road/ Gerloff (gospel)
  • Passionist:  In today's gospel, like last Sunday's, Jesus shows the disciples it's really he by showing them his hands and feet, his wounds, and he demonstrates he's not a ghost by eating food.  He demonstrates his glory by demonstrating His humanity, wounds and human need for food.  Jesus understands our human condition.  Repentance can be an exercise in hope and trust in God's mercy.  The disciples were witnesses of God’s love and mercy:  they saw him heal, feed the multitudes, and raise Lazarus.  He rose to offer everlasting life to all.  He revealed the power of God’s love, revealed in mercy, forgiveness, and sacrifice.  Do we trust in God’s power and love?  It's not easy when we see evil or are anxious, but Easter helps us remember the power of God’s love.  May we not try to have power or control over others, or get ahead by holding others back. May we live and speak in the power of God’s love in Christ, trusting in the reality of Resurrection.
  • DailyScripture.net:  St. Jerome:  "Jesus showed the disciples real hands and real side, really ate, walked, and conversed with them; really took, blessed, broke, and offered bread...  Don't put the Lord's power on the level of magic tricks...."  The centrality of the Gospel is the cross; but it doesn't stop there.  Death led to life, the cross to victory.  We're called to be witnesses of the resurrection....
Dress legend
  • 'Hands,' 'precious feet' pins:  "Look at my hands and my feet; I'm not a ghost" (gospel); "you 'handed' God over" (1st reading)
  • 'Shining sun' pin:  "Lord, let your face shine on us" (psalm)
  • 'Phone' tie bar:  "When I 'call,' answer me, O my just God" (psalm)
  • 'Heart' pin, '?' tie pin:  "You put gladness into my heart." (psalm)  "Why do questions arise in your hearts?" (gospel)
  • 'Commandments' tie:  We can be sure we know him by keeping his commandments (2nd reading); "everything written about me in the law, prophets, and psalms must be fulfilled" (gospel)
  • 'Wheat' pin:  The disciples en route to Emmaus recognized Jesus in the breaking of bread (gospel)
  • 'Peace sign' tie bar:  "Peace be with you" (gospel)
  • 'Bony skeleton' pin:  I have flesh and bones, not like a ghost (gospel)
  • 'Globe' suspenders:  "It is written repentance would be preached in his name to all nations" (gospel)
  • 'Fish' tie pin:  He ate the baked fish they gave him (gospel)
  • 'Musical notes with "joy"' tie pin:  They were incredulous for joy (gospel)
  • White shirt:  Easter season
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