Third Sunday of Easter

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Sunday April 14, 2024

Third SUNDAY OF Easter

1. Marked with Wounds

2. Dying and Rising with Christ

Greeting (see First Reading)

God has glorified his servant

Jesus,the Holy One, the Just One,
the prince of life.
God raised him from the dead
and to that fact we are the witnesses.
In his name we are gathered here.
May the Risen Lord be always with you.

R/ And also with you.

1. Marked with Wounds

Our faith in the Risen Lord is a concrete faith, a faith in someone who is risen, yes, but not a “ghost,” not a figment of the imagination, but real and so much like us, in everything except sin, including wounds and scars and struggles. Is this the Jesus in whom we believe, who walks by our side on the road of life, who sustains us with his love and strength when we struggle and are wounded? For he is really risen, and he goes with us to help us start rising already now in this life above our troubles and fears and cowardice, until we are taken up in his unending joy and happiness. Let it be this Jesus with us with whom we can identify and to whom we bear witness in everyday life.

2. Dying and Rising with Christ

To make the mistakes of sin and to make up for them, to stumble and to get back on our feet, to fall and to rise again, is that not for all a repeated experience in life? This is not just an image but basically the same reality as resurrection; for a Christian this life is already a repeated dying and rising with Christ. Resurrection is not merely something that will come for us at the judgment or when we enter God’s home after death. It is here with us, beautifully and repeatedly. By the grace of our Lord’s resurrection we keep dying and rising even now. Let us share the meal of resurrection with the risen Lord.

Penitential Act

If we had more faith in the nearness of the Risen Lord
we would have fallen less into sin.
Let us seek the Lord’s forgiveness.
(pause)
Risen Lord Jesus, you show us your hands and feet,
for you are near us:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.Jesus Christ, risen Lord,
before you rose you suffered and died
to bring us forgiveness and life:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.Risen Lord Jesus, you eat with us
to share with us your strength and life:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.By the power of your love change us, Lord,
forgive us all our sins,
and accompany us on the journey
to everlasting life. R/ Amen.

Opening Prayer

Let us pray
that we may live the risen life of Jesus.
(pause)
God of the living,
who will believe that your Son is risen
if he is not alive among us today?
Do not let the death of sin hold us,
for he has set us free by his blood.
Make us brim with his life,
that it may overflow on those around us
in deeds of compassionate forgiveness,
of generosity without measure.
Nourish this life in us in the Eucharist
of Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

First Reading: Peter, Witness to the Risen Lord

In his preaching, Peter bears strong witness that Christ is risen from the dead. He asks his hearers to turn to Christ and to let him make them new.

Reading 1: ACTS 3:13-15, 17-19

Peter said to the people:
"The God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,
the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus,
whom you handed over and denied in Pilate's presence
when he had decided to release him.
You denied the Holy and Righteous One
and asked that a murderer be released to you.
The author of life you put to death,
but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses.
Now I know, brothers,
that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did;
but God has thus brought to fulfillment
what he had announced beforehand
through the mouth of all the prophets,
that his Christ would suffer.
Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away."

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 4:2, 4,7-8, 9

R. (7a) Lord, let your face shine on us.
or:
R. Alleluia.
When I call, answer me, O my just God,
you who relieve me when I am in distress;
have pity on me, and hear my prayer!
R. Lord, let your face shine on us.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Know that the LORD does wonders for his faithful one;
the LORD will hear me when I call upon him.
R. Lord, let your face shine on us.
or:
R. Alleluia.
O LORD, let the light of your countenance shine upon us!
You put gladness into my heart.
R. Lord, let your face shine on us.
or:
R. Alleluia.
As soon as I lie down, I fall peacefully asleep,
for you alone, O LORD,
bring security to my dwelling.
R. Lord, let your face shine on us.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Second Reading: True to the Risen Lord

When we follow the commandments of love of Christ, we are true to the risen Christ and we grow in God’s love.

Reading 2: 1 Jn 2:1-5A

My children, I am writing this to you
so that you may not commit sin.
But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous one.
He is expiation for our sins,
and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.
The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep
his commandments.
Those who say, "I know him," but do not keep his commandments
are liars, and the truth is not in them.
But whoever keeps his word,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.

Alleluia: Lk 24:32

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Lord Jesus, open the Scriptures to us;
make our hearts burn while you speak to us.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel: Witnesses to The Risen Lord

Jesus appeared to his doubting disciples to strengthen their faith that he was risen. Then he sent them out as he sends us – to bear witness to his forgiveness and new life.

Gospel: LK 24:35-48

The two disciples recounted what had taken place on the way,
and how Jesus was made known to them
in the breaking of bread.

While they were still speaking about this,
he stood in their midst and said to them,
"Peace be with you."
But they were startled and terrified
and thought that they were seeing a ghost.
Then he said to them, "Why are you troubled?
And why do questions arise in your hearts?
Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.
Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones
as you can see I have."
And as he said this,
he showed them his hands and his feet.
While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed,
he asked them, "Have you anything here to eat?"
They gave him a piece of baked fish;
he took it and ate it in front of them.

He said to them,
"These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you,
that everything written about me in the law of Moses
and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled."
Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
And he said to them,
"Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer
and rise from the dead on the third day
and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,
would be preached in his name
to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things."

Intercessions

God our Father, you help all those who come to you because our risen Lord Jesus Christ stays with us and speaks on our behalf. We pray you: R/ Lord our God, hear your people.

– We ask that there be more faith among us, more confidence in the future, because we are certain that Christ is alive and present among us. And so we pray: R/ Lord our God, hear your people.

– We ask for a more positive attitude toward all life on earth, more understanding and solidarity among peoples and cultures, whatever language we speak, because we are certain that you call everyone to peace and friendship. And so we pray: R/ Lord our God, hear your people.

– We ask you to give us the willingness to make personal sacrifices, for we are certain that in this way we can promote the happiness of the community. And so we pray: R/ Lord our God, hear your people.

– We ask you for the spirit of Christian love and of forgiveness toward each and all, for we are certain that all are invited in Christ to share in your unending happiness. And so we pray: R/ Lord our God, hear your people.

– We ask you for those baptized in Christ’s name that they may follow in Christ’s footsteps, and for all married couples, that they may be faithful to you and to one another, for we are certain that you are faithful to them. And so we pray: R/ Lord our God, hear your people.

– We ask you for humility for ourselves, for we are certain that Christ has not yet completed his work in us and that we still have to grow in his life. And so we pray: R/ Lord our God, hear your people.

Loving God, let your risen Son be alive among us in our words and actions. Hear the prayers of your people, on account of him who stays with you and with us, Jesus Christ, our lord for ever. R/ Amen.

Prayer over the Gifts

Living Father,
with bread and wine we celebrate
the presence of your Son in our midst
here around this table
and in every day life.
Let us experience him here
as your great gift to us
and let him stay with us
in our never-ending quest
to be your people free from sin
and living the risen life
of Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Introduction to the Eucharist Prayer

Where can Jesus be closer to us than here in this Eucharist? He speaks to us, we eat and drink him. Here he assures us that he goes with us our sometimes-weary way. Let us thank the Father for giving Jesus to us.

Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer

Jesus stays with us
and lives in the presence of the Father
to intercede for us.
With him we pray to our Father: R/ Our Father...

Deliver Us

Deliver us, Lord, from every evil
and grant us faith and peace in our day
through the presence of your risen Son.
Let him stay with us in our pains and fears
that we may overcome them with him.
Let him stay with us too
in days of joy and laughter,
that he may deepen our happiness.
Let hope grow in us
as we wait for the day of his coming in glory
as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom...

Invitation to Communion

This is Jesus, the Lamb of God.
He died for us but he is alive.
Happy are we to receive him
and to touch him as our bread of life. R/ Lord, I am not worthy...

Prayer after Communion

God of life and saving love,
we have enjoyed the presence of your Son among us,
for we have been together in his name,
he has spoken to us his words of life
and we have shared his table.
May he live on in our community
by our attentive presence to one another,
our common faith expressed in deeds
of love and service, of gratitude and forgiveness,
by our efforts to create a better world
where there is justice and hope for all.
May we thus journey together to you
and bear witness that Jesus Christ is our Lord for ever. R/ Amen.

Blessing

Christ calls us to bear witness
to his presence among us
as our risen Lord.
Let us live, then, as God’s new people,
full of faith and hope and love
and mutual forgiveness.
That we may bring
this blessing to the world,
may almighty God bless you all,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord in one another. R/ Thanks be to God.

Commentary

Jesus begins to teach the disciples a lesson about Scripture. He had already done it with the two who had gone to Emmaus. He had explained the Scripture to them and later at the breaking of the bread, their hearts are opened and they understood the meaning of the Word of God. Why does he insist on the Word of God as the light that would illuminate the minds of the disciples? The reason is, the disciples are confused. They find themselves in front of a Messiah with his hands and feet pierced ...

What kind of Messiah were they waiting for? They expected a mighty king who would use his mighty hands to rescue them from the powers of the Romans and establish the Jewish kingdom to impose the power of the chosen people over the rest of the world. But instead, they were now facing a pair of hands and feet that are the identity of the Messiah of God who contradicted all their expectations and hopes.

What does the Risen One tell them? Read the Scripture and you will understand the true design of God. A messiah is not someone who would change the world with force, with power, with dominion, but with LOVE. This was the project of God; and Jesus has gone through the events that would appear as a defeat, a failure. But this project of God was realized through the greatest crime committed by people.

It is only by careful study of the Scripture – the Old Testament – that they would understand the meaning of the pierced hands and feet of the Messiah. The sufferings and death that Jesus underwent were all in the plan of God and the Scripture was realized in the life of Jesus.
To understand the person of Jesus the Messiah and to know the plan of God for mankind and His plan for you and me, go back to the scripture… this is the message of today. This is the message for the new world.

And the Risen One concludes, saying to his community, "You are the witnesses of this". They are called to be the Witnesses of the new World which Jesus of Nazareth with his pierced hands and feet began. It is not the world of the dominators but to the world of those who donate their lives for love. To this, we are witnesses.

==============

14 April 2024

Lk. 24: 35-48

To be witnesses

Jesus explains the Scriptures to his disciples, as he had done with the two who went to Emmaus. They are confused and frightened, and Jesus helps them out of their fears with the help of the Word of God because God’s Word is the only light to illuminate their minds as they encounter a Messiah with pierced hands and feet.

They were anticipating a Messiah who would use his powerful hands to deliver them from the rule of the Romans and establish a Jewish kingdom that would exert the dominance of the chosen people over the rest of the world. However, they were now confronted with a pair of hands and feet that represented the identity of God's Messiah, contradicting all their expectations and hopes.

The Messiah of God is not someone who would change the world with force, power, or dominion but with love. This was God's project, and Jesus went through events that appeared to be a defeat or failure. We should turn to the Scriptures to understand the person of Jesus the Messiah and to know God's plan for mankind and for each of us.

The believing community is called to be witnesses to the new world that Jesus began with his pierced hands and feet. It is not the world of the dominators but the world of those who give their lives for love.

The Church is not meant to live forever in the upper room; it is sent out into all the world. After the upper room comes the worldwide mission of the Church. The days of sorrow are past, and the tidings of joy must be taken to everyone.

To be witnesses - Youtube

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