Daily Readings - Thu Apr 05 2018
Acts
11While he clung to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's, astounded.12And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: "Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?13The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.14But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,15and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.16And his name--by faith in his name--has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.17"And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers.18But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.19Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out,20that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus,21whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.22Moses said, 'The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you.23And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.'24And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days.25You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.'26God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness."
Luke
35Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.36As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, "Peace to you!"37But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit.38And he said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?39See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. 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 his feet.41And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?"42They gave him a piece of broiled fish,43and he took it and ate before them.44Then 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 the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled."45Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,46and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,47and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.48You 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.