Daily Readings - Thu Apr 05 2018

First Reading - Acts 3.11-26

¹¹Then, as he held on to Peter and John, all the people ran to them at the portico, which is called Solomon’s, in astonishment¹²But Peter, seeing this, responded to the people: "Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this? Or why do you stare at us, as if it were by our own strength or power that we caused this man to walk¹³The God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Son Jesus, whom you, indeed, handed over and denied before the face of Pilate, when he was giving judgment to release him¹⁴Then you denied the Holy and Just One, and petitioned for a murderous man to be given to you¹⁵Truly, it was the Author of Life whom you put to death, whom God raised from the dead, to whom we are witnesses¹⁶And by faith in his name, this man, whom you have seen and known, has confirmed his name. And faith through him has given this man complete health in the sight of you all¹⁷And now, brothers, I know that you did this through ignorance, just as your leaders also did¹⁸But in this way God has fulfilled the things that he announced beforehand through the mouth of all the Prophets: that his Christ would suffer¹⁹Therefore, repent and be converted, so that your sins may be wiped away²⁰And then, when the time of consolation will have arrived from the presence of the Lord, he will send the One who was foretold to you, Jesus Christ²¹whom heaven certainly must take up, until the time of the restoration of all things, which God has spoken of by the mouth of his holy prophets, from ages past²²Indeed, Moses said: ‘For the Lord your God shall raise up a Prophet for you from your brothers, one like me; the same shall you listen to according to everything whatsoever that he shall speak to you²³And this shall be: every soul who will not listen to that Prophet shall be exterminated from the people.²⁴And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and thereafter, have announced these days²⁵You are sons of the prophets and of the testament which God has appointed for our fathers, saying to Abraham: ‘And by your offspring all the families of the earth shall be blessed.²⁶God raised up his Son and sent him first to you, to bless you, so that each one may turn himself away from his wickedness.

Gospel - Luke 24.35-48

Luke

Chapter 24

³⁵And they explained the things that were done on the way, and how they had recognized him at the breaking of the bread³⁶Then, while they were talking about these things, Jesus stood in their midst, And he said to them: "Peace be with you. It is I. Do not be afraid.³⁷Yet truly, they were very disturbed and terrified, supposing that they saw a spirit³⁸And he said to them: "Why are you disturbed, and why do these thoughts rise up in your hearts³⁹See my hands and feet, that it is I myself. Look and touch. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see that I have.⁴⁰And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet⁴¹Then, while they were still in disbelief and in wonder out of joy, he said, "Do you have anything here to eat?⁴²And they offered him a piece of roasted fish and a honeycomb⁴³And when he had eaten these in their sight, taking up what was left, he gave it to them⁴⁴And he said to them: "These are the words that I spoke to you when I was still with you, because all things must be fulfilled which are written in the law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms about me.⁴⁵Then he opened their mind, so that they might understand the Scriptures⁴⁶And he said to them: "For so it is written, and so it was necessary, for the Christ to suffer and to rise up from the dead on the third day⁴⁷and, in his name, for repentance and the remission of sins to be preached, among all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem⁴⁸And you are witnesses of these things

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter powerful moments of revelation and faith. In the Acts of the Apostles, Peter addresses a crowd that has gathered after he and John heal a lame man. Peter makes it clear that the healing is not due to their own power but to the power of Jesus Christ. He calls the people to repentance, emphasizing that their sins can be wiped away through faith in Jesus. Peter’s words are a call to conversion, urging the people to turn away from their sins and embrace the mercy of God. This passage reminds us that the Church’s mission is rooted in the proclamation of Jesus Christ and the call to repentance, which is as relevant today as it was in Peter’s time. In the Gospel, Luke describes the moment when Jesus appears to the disciples after his resurrection. The disciples are filled with fear and doubt, thinking they are seeing a ghost. Jesus calms their fears by showing them his physical body and eating with them. He then opens their minds to understand the Scriptures, which point to his suffering, death, and resurrection. This passage highlights the importance of faith and the role of Scripture in helping us understand God’s plan. Just as the disciples needed Jesus to open their minds, we too need the Holy Spirit to enlighten us as we read and reflect on God’s word. These readings remind us that faith is not just intellectual assent but a lived experience. Like Peter, we are called to be witnesses of Christ’s love and power in the world. Like the disciples, we are invited to encounter Jesus in the Scriptures and in the breaking of bread. As we go about our daily lives, let us ask the Holy Spirit to open our minds and hearts to the truth of the Gospel. May we, like Peter and the disciples, be transformed by the power of Christ and share that transformation with others. The call to repentance and faith is not just for those who lived in biblical times—it is for us today. Let us embrace this call and live as witnesses of the risen Lord.