Friends, on this third Sunday of Easter season, we continue to appreciate God’s love for us by allowing his only son, Jesus Christ, to die for us and triumph over death through his resurrection in order that we ourselves might have life anew. Today, we are invited to reflect on encounters with the risen Jesus. The readings of this Sunday highlight how Peter and the disciples on the road to Emmaus experienced Jesus’ presence in unexpected ways. These encounters strengthened their faith and filled them with new courage to share the Good News. We are called to open our hearts and recognize Jesus’ presence in our own lives. Lord Jesus, help us to recognize You in our daily lives. Open our hearts to Your presence and teach us to share Your Good News with others. Fill us with the courage and joy that come from knowing You are with us always.
Friends, the first reading of today features Peter’s speech to the crowd in Jerusalem. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter proclaims the Good News of Jesus Christ, starting with his own personal witness to the resurrection. Through his eloquent and persuasive speech, he invites the people to repent and to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Brothers and sisters, this passage reminds us of the transformative power of the resurrection of Christ. We are invited to renew our faith, to repent of our sins, and to live as faithful disciples of the Risen Lord. Like Peter, we are called to bear witness to this encounter, to proclaim the Good News of Christ, and to invite others to share in this life-changing experience. We must therefore ask the Holy Spirit that raised Jesus and empowered the apostle Peter to teach us so that, as we witness, we can also rely on the power of the scriptures, which is the word of God and another form of Christ’s divine presence with us. May we be filled with the same Holy Spirit that inspired Peter’s speech, and may we bear witness to the Good News of Christ in our own lives. While in the second reading, Peter calls us to live a life that reflects our new state of life made possible by Christ’s precious blood and victory over death. In other words, if we have God truly as our father, we must try to live impeccable lives, life of holiness because; “Those who call upon the name of the Lord must depart from iniquity,” a life characterized by witnessing to the risen Lord and of course, good works, a life always punctuated with the demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit in action in us, and a life that shows that we are truly alive in, and with Christ. This is because the new life we now live and enjoy in Christ was made possible through the precious blood of the Lamb without defect.
Friends, the common theme in today’s readings is the transformative power of encountering the Risen Lord. Peter and the disciples on the road to Emmaus both experienced a profound encounter with Jesus, which transformed their lives and gave them the courage to bear witness to the Good News. They remind us that our faith is not just a set of beliefs, but rather a personal encounter with the living God, who has the power to transform us and to fill us with hope. This Sunday, we are invited to ask ourselves whether we have truly encountered the Risen Lord in our lives. Have we experienced his transforming power? Are we willing to bear witness to his Good News, even in the face of opposition or persecution? May we open our hearts to the Risen Lord, who longs to encounter us and to transform us into his faithful disciples. The Lord be with you …may the Almighty God bless you, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I wish you a Joyful and prayerful Easter season.
