Tag: God is love

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Sixth Sunday of Easter

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Mass Readings

Reading 1: Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48
Responsorial: Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4
Reading 2: 1 John 4:7-10
Gospel: John 15:9-17

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/050921.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

My brothers and sisters, God is love!

Welcome back for another edition of deacon rudy’s notes! I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal, and together we’re going to break open the Word!

There are so many wonderful things happening in the readings this weekend! The two overarching themes are that the Gentiles are included in the church and that God is love.

Very briefly, the first reading from Acts is amazing. It’s a reminder to us that Gentile membership in the church was not a given. It was something the early church resolved at the Council of Jerusalem described in Acts 15. But here’s the cool part. Before Peter finished speaking in Acts 10, the Holy Spirit descended on Cornelius and all the Gentiles gathered. The disciples could tell that the Holy Spirit had descended because they could hear the Gentiles speaking in tongues. And they were astounded! So, Peter ordered everyone to be baptized (Acts 10:44-48).

That’s such an interesting reading. I highly encourage you to go back and read that entire story, Acts 10:1-49.

Our second reading and the Gospel focus on love. John reminds us what we find in John 3:16, that God loves us so much that he sent Jesus into the world (1 John 4:9). And while Jesus was here, he taught us about love. The Law is meaningless if it isn’t rooted in love. So, Jesus gave us the Great Commandment. It’s so important that he wanted to make sure we’d understand it, so he said it in two ways. Jesus says you shall love God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind, and you shall love your neighbor as you love yourself (Matthew 22:35-40, Mark 12:28-31, Luke 10:25-28). In John’s Gospel account, Jesus says, “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you (John 15:12).

Now, it’s easy, I think, to look to our family and our friends and say to ourselves, “Yes, I love them.” That’s the easy part. But check this out. The Gospel tells me that I need to love the yahoo who cut me off in traffic! And what am I supposed to with criminals or with people who vote the wrong way? That’s right! I need to love them. Now between you and me, that’s a much more difficult pill to swallow!

You see, Jesus tells us that if we are going to be his disciples, then we need to keep his commandments (John 15:12, 17), and that means we have to love everyone. That’s not a cop-out! Love does not mean an absence of accountability. So, we can still hold people to account for what they’ve done wrong if they break the law for example. But love tells us how we should respond to them.

If all people are created in the image and likeness of God, and if I am supposed to love everyone, then how can I go to mass and say “I love you, Jesus,” but throw verbal rocks on social media at people who disagree with me?

These last couple of years or so have been a painful lesson about the urgency to preach the words of St. Paul that we hear in Mass: the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Corinthians 13:14). In so many parts of the world, what we see happening in politics and every nation’s response to Covid-19 and everyone’s response to their nation’s response to Covid-19 are excellent examples of how difficult it is to love someone who thinks differently than we do.

And I’m sure each of us can find personal examples where we find it difficult to love someone. But the Church teaches us that Jesus’ command, “Love one another as I love you” (John 15:12), is foundational to the entire Christian life. You can find that described in detail in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1827.

Love says we can disagree with each other. Absolutely we can! But love says I must treat you as a beloved creation in the image and likeness of God. Love says I must treat you with respect. I suggest to you this is easier said than done. Now, the root of the word “disciple” is the Latin word “discere” which means “to learn.” So, being a disciple means I need to constantly be learning. And that’s totally true with love.

Love is a virtue. We call it a theological virtue because God infuses us with love. As I’ve pointed out, it’s not easy to practice the virtue of love. But we can grow in and develop the virtue of love. Remember, a virtue is an intentional good habit. So, we can work at developing virtue or good habits in our lives.

We need to work at it because Jesus tells us that if we follow his commands then we will remain in Jesus’ love (John 15:10). But growing in love isn’t easy. It’s a process and we’re going to discuss one method in our homework in just a minute.

How will I know that it’s working? How can I tell that I’m growing in virtue and overcoming bad habits or vices? Jesus says that we are supposed to go and bear fruit (John 15:16). That’s right, love is not only a virtue. Love is also a fruit of the Holy Spirit. That means that even if we can’t notice it, those around us – especially our family and friends – might be able to see the fruits of our spiritual work.

How do we do this? That leads us to Homework!

Nourished by the Word Incarnate and the Eucharist, I invite you to reflect on the following two activities.

First, bring your desire to grow in the virtue of love to God in prayer. Ask God to help you grow in love. You can do this with any virtue or with any vice you want to overcome. Here’s a pro tip. Write it down. No one needs to read it except you but write down your goal. It’s like that old adage, what gets scheduled gets done or if it’s not documented it didn’t happen. So, write down your goal and any thoughts, images, ideas, or feelings that come to you during prayer.

Second, ask yourself what things work against the virtue you want to develop. For example, if you want to grow in love, then what makes you grumpy, irritable, and impatient? A lack of sleep? Too much coffee? Consuming too much news or social media? Once you’ve identified something, resolve with the help of God to overcome it with concrete steps. For example, in addition to writing down your goal, write down actionable steps to overcome the obstacles. So, if you want to grow in love, you might write down that you’re setting a goal to get more sleep, or cut back on coffee, or reduce the amount of time you spend listening to the news or on social media.

You can even record your progress over time. These notes could be helpful in your discernment and in your conversation with your pastor or a spiritual director.

It’s not enough to say “Amen, alleluia!” when we hear Jesus’ words to love one another as he loves us. As disciples, we must take specific steps to grow in virtue and overcome vice. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

You’re listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Thank you for joining me today. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word. Peace!

Image Credit: Wiki Loves Love – Meta. By Ed Gregory. JPG. CC0 Creative Commons.

Bibliography/Suggested Readings:
1. Anderson, Kelly and Daniel Keating. James, First, Second, and Third John. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2017. Kindle.
2. Kurz, William S. SJ. Acts of the Apostles. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2013. Kindle.
3. Martin, Francis and William M. Wright IV. The Gospel of John. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2015. Kindle.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Gentiles in God’s plan: 60, 674, 755, 781
2. Faith: 453-54
3. God is love: 214, 218-21, 231, 257, 733, 2331, 2577
4. God loving us by sending his Son: 457-58, 604, 620
5. Call to love one another: 459, 1823-25
6. Love of God and neighbor fulfills the Commandments: 1789, 1822-29, 2067, 2069
7. Charity: 1822-29
8. Friendship with Christ: 2347, 2709
9. Christ’s prayer at the Last Supper: 2746-51

Sixth Sunday of Easter https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/050921.cfm
Lectionary: 56

Reading 1
Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48
When Peter entered, Cornelius met him
and, falling at his feet, paid him homage.
Peter, however, raised him up, saying,
“Get up. I myself am also a human being.”

Then Peter proceeded to speak and said,
“In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.
Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly
is acceptable to him.”

While Peter was still speaking these things,
the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word.
The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter
were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit
should have been poured out on the Gentiles also,
for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God.
Then Peter responded,
“Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people,
who have received the Holy Spirit even as we have?”
He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Responsorial
Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4
R. (cf. 2b) The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
or: R. Alleluia.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
or: R. Alleluia.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
or: R. Alleluia.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
or: R. Alleluia.

Reading 2
1 John 4:7-10
Beloved, let us love one another,
because love is of God;
everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.
In this way the love of God was revealed to us:
God sent his only Son into the world
so that we might have life through him.
In this is love:
not that we have loved God, but that he loved us
and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.

Alleluia
John 14:23
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord,
and my Father will love him and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
John 15:9-17
Jesus said to his disciples:
“As the Father loves me, so I also love you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my Father’s commandments
and remain in his love.

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you
and your joy might be complete.
This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I no longer call you slaves,
because a slave does not know what his master is doing.
I have called you friends,
because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.
This I command you: love one another.”

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23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time Mass Readings

First Reading: Ezekiel 33:7-9
Responsorial: Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9
Second Reading: Romans 13:8-10
Gospel: Matthew 18:15-20

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090620.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org

Today’s readings help us understand what it means to live a Christian life. With many of our nations so polarized, it is crucial to understand what it means to be a Christian now more than ever.

Paul tells us today that the entire law can be summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Romans 13:9). This is a super important point to understand about our faith. You see, the Ten Commandments and indeed the 613 Jewish commandments are not a list of things of what to do or what not to do. At their core, the commandments teach us about loving God (Hahn, 235). Some commandments pertain to our relationship with God, and the others inform our relationships with our fellow humans, but grounding all of these rules is love.

Scripture teaches us that God is love. Now, there are several words for love in Greek. Eros describes a love which finds satisfaction in the person or thing loved. Philia means companionship or friendship. But Agape is a very different kind of love. It’s a love completely centered on the one loved (Himes, 128). The closest English translation is “self-gift.” When we think about the Trinity, we think of perfect self-gift, perfect reception, and perfect self-gift. So, we can say that God is least wrongly thought of as a relationship (Himes, 136).

In today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there in the middle of them” (Matthew 18:20). Jesus is not telling us that whenever we get together with anyone, he is with us. What this means is that whenever people come together in true mutual love, in genuine concern and care for one another, in other words, agape, Jesus is there among them” (Himes). That’s why Paul tells us, “Love does not do any evil to the neighbour – therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10).

As Christians, we should look to others – especially other Christians who are created in the image and likeness of God with mutual love and genuine concern. That’s why Jesus tells us about how we should handle disagreements with our brothers and sisters (Matthew 18:15-19). Saying hurtful things, especially in the anonymity of social media, horrible things, or saying they aren’t Christian is precisely the opposite of what the Gospel is challenging us to do.

Take the US elections, for example. Now please hear me out. Some people are laser-focused on abortion, so much so that if you say you’re voting for a pro-choice candidate, you are accused of not being Catholic. May I ask a question? If the person voting this way doesn’t believe this is a problem, do you honestly think berating them about their vote is going to win hearts and minds for Jesus? I assure you it won’t any more than locking a woman up if she has an abortion.

I want to be clear. I most emphatically affirm life, from the womb to the tomb. I think the election is a symptom of a much larger problem. We need to get to of the root problem, and one election is just not going to cut it. Like the examples Jesus gives us in Scripture, we meet people where they are. As missionary disciples, we need to help spread the Church’s understanding of God’s relationship with us – about love. But if social media gives us any indication, sometimes that means acknowledging that we might not be the best mediators of that message. Maybe we need to share a good book on this topic with them. Maybe we suggest a particularly good video on the subject. Maybe we offer to host a watch party for one of these videos or movies? There are many ways to evangelize but at the heart of it has to be love – not anger or prejudice or vitriol – love.

The point is, we cannot find God in conflict and anger or hate or the anonymity of social media. That’s why our responsorial today is, “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (Psalm 95). The exercise that Jesus outlines in today’s Gospel is really about trying to reconcile people – about trying to avoid the extreme, although that does happen. But before it gets to that point, we should try to understand and pass on the Church’s teachings out of love – out of a real desire for conversion. To prepare ourselves for this task, we need a little homework!

Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following two questions this week:

  1. When have you experienced God as love?
  2. How does love of neighbor obligate me to evangelize my friends and family?

Doing our homework today will help us treat and work with other people I encounter through love. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

Image Credit: Prayer. Artist unknown. JPEG file.

References:
1. Hahn, Scott W. and Curtis Mitch. Romans. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2017. Kindle.
2. Himes, Michael. The Mystery of Faith: An Introduction to Catholicism. Cincinnati, OH: St. Anthony Messenger Press, 2004. Kindle.
3. Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010. Kindle.
4. The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Christ’s presence, 1373
2. Reconciliation with the Church, 1443-45
3. Charity and the commandments, 1824
4. Love infused by the Spirit, 1972
5. Greatest commandments, 2055, 2196
6. “As we forgive those who trespass against us,” 2842-45

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090620.cfm
Lectionary: 127

Reading 1
Ezekiel 33:7-9
Thus says the LORD:
You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel;
when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me.
If I tell the wicked, “O wicked one, you shall surely die,”
and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way,
the wicked shall die for his guilt,
but I will hold you responsible for his death.
But if you warn the wicked,
trying to turn him from his way,
and he refuses to turn from his way,
he shall die for his guilt,
but you shall save yourself.

Responsorial
Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
R. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
let us acclaim the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
“Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
Where your fathers tempted me;
they tested me though they had seen my works.”
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Reading 2
Romans 13:8-10
Brothers and sisters:
Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another;
for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery;
you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet,”
and whatever other commandment there may be,
are summed up in this saying, namely,
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Love does no evil to the neighbor;
hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.

Alleluia
2 Corinthians 5:19
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ
and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Matthew 18:15-20
Jesus said to his disciples:
“If your brother sins against you,
go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.
If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.
If he does not listen,
take one or two others along with you,
so that ‘every fact may be established
on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church.
If he refuses to listen even to the church,
then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
Amen, I say to you,
whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Again, amen, I say to you,
if two of you agree on earth
about anything for which they are to pray,
it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them.”

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Hearts Afire

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Third Sunday of Easter Mass Readings

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First Reading: Acts 2:14, 22-33
Psalm: Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11
Second Reading: 1 Peter 1:17-21
Gospel: Luke 24:13-35

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/042620.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

Happy Easter to you on this Third Sunday of Easter! Thank you for joining me on our journey of discovery! Just a reminder, in the notes section I will list the sources I used to develop my reflection. You will also find references to the Catechism of the Catholic Church and a link so that you can explore these and other topics on your own. If you have any questions about this reflection or if you have a question about our faith life that you’d like me to research and address, please don’t hesitate to use the comment form on the website or send me an email to rudy@deaconrudysnotes.org. Every Wednesday, I tackle your questions in All Things Catholic, and every Sunday we break open the Word.

As usual, we are presented with scripture passages rich in content and meaning, but I’d like to share with you what I believe the Holy Spirit laid on my heart as I prepared this podcast.

In our first reading from Acts, the apostles are preaching the saving message of Jesus Christ. But in the second reading from First Peter, we find that this teaching is not some new fad. It’s old – ancient in fact. The Christian message is rooted in the foundations of the planet herself. And there seems to be some urgency in the readings from Acts and First Peter. They want us to know Jesus.

How is it that we come to know Jesus?

Well, it can’t come from outside of us. What I mean by that is that having an encounter with the risen Jesus Christ can’t be forced on us. Were Christ to be in our presence, we might not see him unless we were willing. Think about the objection of the disciples to Jesus’ preaching when they said, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked, or sick or in prison and didn’t minister to you,” (Matthew 25:37-39). Isn’t it amazing what we allow ourselves to see and not to see as we journey through life?

I would also suggest to you, although with a caveat, that we cannot come to know the risen Jesus strictly through our intellect. Don’t get me wrong, study is a wonderful way to deepen our relationship with Jesus and it is a critical part of discipleship. That’s what the study of theology is all about. But if that study is not rooted in a love for Jesus Christ – not rooted in an encounter with Jesus – then it risks being a sterile, academic endeavor. Thomas Dubay noted in his book, Fire Within, that the great spiritual experiences that come from an awareness of God do not result from reading or reasoning, (Dubay, 86). Indeed, it was intellectual hubris for a US politician to suggest that it’s only through human effort, and not God that the COVID-19 curve is flattening. <1>

Okay, so how then?

We don’t have to travel to some far distant land. We don’t have to live in a place that might seem more conducive to the spiritual life. These experiences may be helpful, but they are not essential. God has equipped us with the capability to have an encounter with the risen Lord. We do this by looking within. That’s what Teresa of Avila was trying to tell us, I think, in her descriptions about the interior castle. This doesn’t require emptying the mind and it doesn’t mean eliminating distractions. But it does mean opening ourselves up to the Holy Spirit. If we allow ourselves to open the door to our interior castles, then we have a chance to see and experience the risen Lord.

I think that’s what’s happening the Gospel from Luke today. We hear the familiar story about two demoralized disciples who left Jerusalem after the crucifixion and are now on the road to Emmaus. On their journey, they encounter a traveler and they journey together. After a while, they come to realize that the risen Jesus Christ had been with them the whole time. When did they figure it out? In the breaking of the bread. Things that they heard along the way sounded familiar and seemed to be pointing in the direction. But it wasn’t until they saw him break the bread that they realized it was Jesus who had been with them. They weren’t forced to see Jesus. They had to accept all on their own that it was Jesus.

You might be thinking, “That’s nice, deacon, but what does this have to do with me?”

We start by acknowledging that everything we have and everything we are flows from the source of life which is God Himself. We have to reject the intellectual arrogance that I am in control and that I and I alone can make things happen. What is it that sets your heart aflame? For example, do you remember the first time you ever held a baby in your arms? Maybe it was your first child or perhaps a new niece or nephew, or your friend’s baby. How did you feel? Take a second and try to connect with that feeling. How would you describe your feelings? Now substitute the words of the Gospel: were are hearts not burning!

My brothers and sisters, every time we’ve experienced love, we’ve experienced the God who is love. I want you to imagine yourself standing at your kitchen counter, for example looking out the window as you come to accept that the love you experience is God. As you imagine this scene, you slowly turn to face the beautiful but not blinding light coming from the center of your home. As Teresa of Avila describes the light radiating from the center of the interior castle, that light is Jesus Christ. Imagine yourself basking in that light.

Jesus left us His church and He empowered the Church with the sacraments to help draw us deeper into that beautifully divine light. But like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, he will not force us to accept him. We have to open ourselves to the possibility of an encounter with the risen Jesus Christ. Are you ready?

Homework! After listening to the Word of God proclaimed and making and Act of Spiritual Communion, I encourage you to reflect on the following two questions.

  1. First, were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke? How do I hear Jesus speaking to me?
  2. Second, what is it about my faith that excites me so much that I want to share it?

I think doing our homework will help us have an encounter with the risen Jesus Christ and engage in the evangelical work of discipleship. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

Notes:
<1> Governor Cuomo tells CNN that the COVID-19 curve is bending in New York. I realize this is one tiny quote out of larger interview, but it certainly makes a statement. “Our behavior has stopped the spread of the virus. God did not stop the spread of the virus. And what we do, how we act, will dictate how that virus spreads.” To watch the interview, see Gov. Andrew Cuomo: We have a constitution, not a king. For another take on his remarks, see Bishop Barron on Governor Cuomo and the Nature of God.

References:
1. Dubay, Thomas. Fire Within: St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and the Gospel—On Prayer. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1989.
2. Gadenz, Pablo T. The Gospel of Luke. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2018.
3. Keating, Daniel. First and Second Peter, Jude. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2011.
4. Kurz, William S. Acts of the Apostles. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2013.
5. Lectio Divina Of The Gospels. Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2019.
6. The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.

Catechism References: Easily search the Catechism at http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm
1. Christ is the key to interpreting Scripture, 102, 426-29, 601, 2763
2. Jesus reveals and fulfills Scripture, 112, 555, 572, 601, 652, 1094
3. Calling on the name of Jesus, 432, 2666
4. Jesus, the Lamb offered for our sins, 457, 604-5, 608, 615-16, 1476, 1992
5. Jesus’ signs and wonders, 547-50
6. Culpability for Jesus’ death, 591, 597-99
7. Redemption in Christ, 602
8. Jesus’ body preserved from corruption, 627
9. Jesus appears to Simon Peter, 641
10. The apostles and disciples as witnesses of the Resurrection, 642-44, 857, 995-96
11. Disciples demoralized by Jesus’ death, 643
12. Jesus’ risen body, 659
13. Prophecies of the Holy Spirit, 715
14. Jesus appears in the breaking of the bread, 1329
15. From the Scriptures to the Eucharist, 1346-47 16. Call to holiness, 2012-16

Third Sunday of Easter
Mass Readings http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/042620.cfm
Lectionary: 46

First Reading
ACTS 2:14, 22-33
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven,
raised his voice, and proclaimed:
“You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem.
Let this be known to you, and listen to my words.
You who are Israelites, hear these words.
Jesus the Nazarene was a man commended to you by God
with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs,
which God worked through him in your midst, as you yourselves know.
This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God,
you killed, using lawless men to crucify him.
But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death,
because it was impossible for him to be held by it.
For David says of him:
I saw the Lord ever before me,
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
Therefore my heart has been glad and my tongue has exulted;
my flesh, too, will dwell in hope,
because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld,
nor will you suffer your holy one to see corruption.
You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.

“My brothers, one can confidently say to you
about the patriarch David that he died and was buried,
and his tomb is in our midst to this day.
But since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn an oath to him
that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne,
he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ,
that neither was he abandoned to the netherworld
nor did his flesh see corruption.
God raised this Jesus;
of this we are all witnesses.
Exalted at the right hand of God,
he received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father
and poured him forth, as you see and hear.”

Responsorial
Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11
R. (11a) Lord, you will show us the path of life.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I say to the LORD, “My Lord are you.”
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
R. Lord, you will show us the path of life.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I bless the LORD who counsels me;
even in the night my heart exhorts me.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R. Lord, you will show us the path of life.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence;
because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld,
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.
R. Lord, you will show us the path of life.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You will show me the path to life,
abounding joy in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R. Lord, you will show us the path of life.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Second Reading
1 PT 1:17-21
Beloved:
If you invoke as Father him who judges impartially
according to each one’s works,
conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning,
realizing that you were ransomed from your futile conduct,
handed on by your ancestors,
not with perishable things like silver or gold
but with the precious blood of Christ
as of a spotless unblemished lamb.

He was known before the foundation of the world
but revealed in the final time for you,
who through him believe in God
who raised him from the dead and gave him glory,
so that your faith and hope are in God.

Alleluia
Luke 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
Luke 24:13-35
That very day, the first day of the week,
two of Jesus’ disciples were going
to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,
and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.
And it happened that while they were conversing and debating,
Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,
but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.
He asked them,
“What are you discussing as you walk along?”
They stopped, looking downcast.
One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply,
“Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem
who does not know of the things
that have taken place there in these days?”
And he replied to them, “What sort of things?”
They said to him,
“The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene,
who was a prophet mighty in deed and word
before God and all the people,
how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over
to a sentence of death and crucified him.
But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel;
and besides all this,
it is now the third day since this took place.
Some women from our group, however, have astounded us:
they were at the tomb early in the morning
and did not find his body;
they came back and reported
that they had indeed seen a vision of angels
who announced that he was alive.
Then some of those with us went to the tomb
and found things just as the women had described,
but him they did not see.”
And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are!
How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!
Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things
and enter into his glory?”
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,
he interpreted to them what referred to him
in all the Scriptures.
As they approached the village to which they were going,
he gave the impression that he was going on farther.
But they urged him, “Stay with us,
for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.”
So he went in to stay with them.
And it happened that, while he was with them at table,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,
but he vanished from their sight.
Then they said to each other,
“Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”
So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem
where they found gathered together
the eleven and those with them who were saying,
“The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!”
Then the two recounted
what had taken place on the way
and how he was made known to them in the breaking of bread.