THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER, CYCLE B

Open with a prayer: Holy Spirit we thank you for gathering us together to share your word. Fill us with the same fervor that empowered Peter to proclaim Jesus and his message. Just as you opened the eyes of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, open our eyes to recognize your holy presence in your midst. Amen.

Sharing of Life: What are you most and least grateful for this week?

Facilitator reads focus statement: All three readings state in different ways that belief in the resurrection should lead to a repentance of sin.

Now read the readings pausing briefly after each one.

FIRST READING: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19

The Acts of the Apostles contains five speeches by Peter. Today's verses are an excerpt from his second speech it follows the healing of a crippled man which gives Peter a unique opportunity to preach about Jesus.

Peter begins by placing blame on his hearers and or their leaders for the death of Jesus whom the God of their ancestors has now raised form the dead. But, then Peter tells his audience that they acted out of ignorance, implying that if they had known better they would have acted better. Now, through the witness of the disciples, they do know better and ought to reform their lives through repentance of sin and come to belief in Jesus as the Messiah.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM 4

This psalm of lament, expresses confidence in God's favor in time of trial, the kind of confidence Jesus must have had when faced with his sufferings.

SECOND READING: 1 John 2:1-5

Ideally, as Christians we should not sin but if we do we should be comforted by the fact that we have an Advocate in Jesus who died for our sins. Then John states emphatically that true knowledge of Christ will lead one to keep the commandments. In stating this, John was responding to a widely held belief that a superior type of knowledge was sufficient for salvation and that such knowledge excused one from adherence to moral norms.

GOSPEL: Luke 24:35-48

This gospel follows on the heels of the famous Emmaus story during which the two disciples experienced Jesus in the breaking of the bread. As the two disciples describe their fascinating encounter with Jesus, he suddenly appears to them again. But, they are scared and have no idea who he is. They think he is a ghost. Jesus tries to bring them to faith by appealing to their "sense of touch" ("look at my hands and feet.") and to their reason, ("ghosts have no flesh."). Then Jesus seeks to open their minds to their own writings in the law, the prophets and psalms and how all of these pointed to his coming. Then the disciples are commissioned to go forth and be his witnesses. "Penance and remission of sins must be preached to all nations".

FAITH SHARING QUESTIONS

1. What verse, idea or image spoke to you most in the readings and why?

2. One can see the roots of anti-Semitism in the first reading today, when Peter blames the Jews for the crucifixion of Christ. Is there anti-Semitism in our culture today?

3. John distinguishes "head knowledge" from "heart knowledge" of Christ. How would you differentiate between the two? What has helped you to come to heart knowledge of Christ?

4. In the Gospel today, Jesus opened their minds to the understanding of the scriptures. How has your weekly sharing of the scriptures opened your eyes to the meaning of God's word?

RESPONDING TO THE WORD

Name one way you can act on today's scriptures. Suggestion: Be alert to opportunities for sharing your faith with others.

CONCLUDE WITH PRAYERS OF PETITION AND INTERCESSION

Pray for families who have children receiving First Communion during the Easter Season. Pray that this important event in the life of their child will move those who are lax about church to return to return to the Eucharist on a regular basis.