Third Sunday of Easter B

The theologian Father Gerald O'Collins believes that we are called to experience the presence of Christ rather than just observing it. He emphasizes the importance of personal encounter and relationship with Jesus. The passage from Luke's Gospel, chapter 24, verses 35-48, focuses on the disciples' encounter with the risen Jesus and how he reveals himself through the breaking of bread. This highlights the significance of the Eucharist in the disciples' remembrance and worship of Jesus. The speaker encourages listeners to reflect on their own personal experiences of encountering Jesus and to be witnesses to these experiences. The message emphasizes the power and tenderness of Jesus and encourages listeners to engage in prayerful reflection on the Gospel passage. Greetings, friends. What a joy to share the Gospel. Christ is risen, truly He is risen. Happy Easter, everybody. The theologian Father Gerald O'Collins has spent much of his academic life studying the resurrection of Jesus as presented in the Gospels. From this study, he concludes that we are called to, quote, experience the presence of Christ rather than observing it or establishing it through evidence, close quote. To know Jesus risen from the dead is the fruit of personal encounter in relationship. Let's prepare ourselves now to encounter Jesus mediated to us through prayerful reflection on the Scriptures. We take a moment to prepare our hearts to yield to the Gospel by quieting our inner selves. If you will, take a deep breath slowly in and slowly out. Come Lord Jesus, allow your Holy Spirit to bring your word to life in me. May I hear your voice, good shepherd. The ancient prayer of Lectio Divina invites us, first of all, simply to read a passage from Scripture. By reading, we begin to grow in familiarity with the word so as to open ourselves increasingly to the movement of the Spirit carried on those words of the Gospel. On this third Sunday of Easter, we read from Luke's Gospel, chapter 24, verses 35 through 48. Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of the 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 they might be 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 Messiah 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. In one of the sermons included in St. Luke's second volume to his Gospel, the Acts of the Apostles, St. Peter makes a remarkable and enlightening observation. He tells the gathered crowd that Jesus, after his resurrection, appeared not to all the people, but to only those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. Notice this. Who saw the risen Lord? It was those who lived in relationship, in friendship with him. Isn't that what people who eat and drink, who share meals together are, family and friends? You have heard no doubt the old saying, Love is blind. This though is simply not true. Love in fact sees more, more clearly, more truly, more deeply and profoundly. How do I know? How do you know that Jesus Christ is alive? We know because we love him. He lives and is accessible to us. We hear him, see him and touch him because we live with him in a relationship through faith of friendship and love. This Gospel we just shared follows, recall, the account of the disciples' journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Remember how those disciples were joined along the way by a stranger, who only in the breaking of the bread, when he sat and shared supper with them, did they come to recognize as the Lord? And now, here he is again, and he desires once again to share food, which is to say to share life and love and friendship with his disciples. He asks them, Do you have anything to eat? This is why as well, from the very beginning of the Christian way, the Eucharist, that sacred meal, has stood at the center of the disciples' remembrance and worship of the Lord Jesus. Jesus reveals himself to those who eat and drink with him in the breaking of the bread. Let us turn now again for a second time to read our Gospel passage. Notice as we do what stands out to you. Be sensitive to that word or phrase, to what moves your imagination. In this word that moves within you, Jesus is manifesting himself, present and alive for you. So we read again Luke, chapter 24, verses 35 through 48. Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of the 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 they might be 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 Messiah 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. This brings us now to the second step of Lectio Divina, which is, after reading, meditation. In meditating we pause before the word, surrendering to the movement of the Spirit carried on that word. I'm curious now about what is touching you in this passage, and give yourself over to it. What is speaking to you at this moment? I am so very moved by that last phrase in the Gospel. You are witnesses to these things. Can I ask you, friends, to join me in reflecting on this very personally? Remember, this is the aim of our prayerful reading of the Gospel. Jesus comes and speaks personally through his word to each one of us, here and now. You are a witness to these things. I have experienced personally Jesus' power and tenderness, his healing and mercy, his power to draw life from deadly things that have happened to me. I have witnessed Jesus alive because he walks with me every day. I feel called again in this Gospel to bring to mind very specifically the ways I have experienced Jesus alive in my life and in the world, so that I might be a witness to these things. Friends, please remain with this Gospel passage a bit longer. Allow Jesus, through his words, to enter the space you are in right now, just as he entered that room where the disciples were gathered. Talk to Jesus about how this story is speaking to you. Before leaving prayer, be sure to intentionally place the word you have received deep in your spirit where the Lord might bring it growth throughout this week ahead. And friends, it is a joy to share the Gospel with you.