Third Sunday of Easter

Third Sunday of Easter Readings

Today’s Gospel is full of contradictions. The apostles and disciples are gathered in the upper room where they celebrated the Passover meal with Jesus prior to His crucifixion. They are gathered out of fear of the Jewish authorities who may be targeting them for the same fate as Jesus. The shutters on the windows are closed and the door is locked.

Two of the disciples recount their encounter with Jesus on the road to Emmaus where He explained His suffering, death on a cross, and His resurrection through the Scriptures and the prophets. Then He revealed

Himself in the breaking of the bread and they realized that their hearts were burning with the fire of love that the encounter had enkindled in their hearts. While they are relating their story, Jesus appears in their midst. He asked them why they are afraid, and He explains He is not a ghost but the same Jesus they knew and loved. Twice he addresses them by extending His peace upon them.

So, what happened after this encounter with the risen Lord? They remained hidden in the upper room for another fifty days. You may ask yourself; how can this be? They encountered the risen Lord, and would they not want to share it with the world? Why remain hidden for another fifty days?

The reason they remained hidden is that the power of the Holy Spirit had not come upon them and they had not yet been empowered to proclaim the Lord risen and the good news of salvation.

At the end of each Mass, the assembly is instructed to, “Go forth glorifying the Lord by your life”. This is a command given to the Church by Jesus Himself. Yet how few hear the call.

Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, the author of Practicing the Presence of God, tells us that too often we are consumed with our outward practices of faith that we forget to be present to the Lord in the present moment. We become self-absorbed in our own salvation and we forget we are responsible for our brothers and sisters on their journey to eternal life.

Unlike those gathered in the upper room, we do not await the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The gift of the Spirit is given to us each and every time we assemble as a community of faith. Are our hearts on fire with the grace we receive in the Sacrament of the Eucharist and by virtue of our Baptism and Confirmation to proclaim the Lord? Do we want to share the good news of salvation to all people?

We are a missionary church and though we assemble each week to proclaim our oneness in the Lord, our mission cannot end at the doors of the Church. Our mission is in the world and our mission extends to believers and non-believers.

The only way our faith grows is by sharing it with others. The only way we grow in love is by giving the love we have received away and going to the well of salvation, being renewed again and again. We cannot allow fear to prevent us from accomplishing the task the Lord has given us.

Look at the doors of the Church. Are there people standing outside begging to enter our assembly? Are there people asking to receive what we have received? We are called to be a holy people. It may be time to forget about how pious we are and turn to the Lord in the present moment and ask to grow in holiness. Are we ready for the challenge?

May God continue to bless you,

Deacon Phil