Sunday, May 4, 2003
3rd Sunday of Easter

1st Reading: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19

Peter said to the people, "The God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus whom you handed over to death and denied before Pilate, when even Pilate had decided to release him. You rejected the Holy and Just One, and you insisted that a murderer be released to you. You killed the Master of life, but God raised him from the dead and we are witnesses to this.

"Yet I know that you acted out of ignorance, as did your leaders. God has fulfilled in this way what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer.

"Repent, then, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out."

2nd Reading: 1 Jn 2:1-5

My little children, I write to you that you may not sin. But if anyone sins, we have an intercessor with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Just One. He is the sacrificial victim for our sins and the sins of the whole world.

How can we know that we know him? If we fulfill his commands.

If you say, "I know him," but do not fulfill his commands, you are a liar and the truth is not in you. But if you keep his word, God's love is made complete in you. This is how we know that we are in him.

Gospel: Lk 24:35-48

The two disciples told what had happened on the road and how Jesus made himself known when he broke bread with them.

As they went on talking about this, Jesus himself stood in their midst. (And he said to them, "Peace to you.") In their panic and fright they thought they were seeing a ghost, but he said to them, "Why are you upset and why do such ideas cross your mind? Look at my hands and feet and see that it is I myself. Touch me and see for yourselves that a ghost has no flesh and bones as I have." (As he said this, he showed his hands and feet.)

In their joy they didn't dare believe and were still astonished. So he said to them, "Have you anything to eat?" and they gave him a piece of broiled fish. He took it and ate it before them.

Then Jesus said to them, "Remember the words I spoke to you when I was still with you: Everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms had to be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

And he went on, "You see what was written: the Messiah had to suffer and on the third day rise from the dead. Then repentance and forgiveness in his name would be proclaimed to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. Now you shall be witnesses to this."

Commentary

"Stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." The disciples must be empowered like Mary: "the power of the Most High will overshadow you". They needed the same power because like Mary who bore Jesus in her womb, they too must bear him in their hearts. Like Mary who surrendered everything to God, they too must give up much. Like Mary who ran in haste to the hill country of Judea, they too must travel far and wide to announce the Good News. Like Mary whose heart was run through by a sword, they would have to make difficult choices to be faithful to Jesus. Like Mary who hearted, "Did you not know that I have to do my Father's business?" they too had to learn detachment with pain.

Read also: • Gospel Reflections by Fr. Gerry Pierse, C.Ss.R.
          • Biblical Commentaries from Diario Biblico

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