Daily Readings - Sun Apr 15 2018
Acts
13The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go.14You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.15You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.17"Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders.18But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer.19Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
1 John
1My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.2He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.3We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.4The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.5But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him:
Luke
35Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.36While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."37They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.38He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?39Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."40When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.41And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?"42They gave him a piece of broiled fish,43and he took it and ate it in their presence.44He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."45Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.46He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,47and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.48You are witnesses of these things.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter profound reflections on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, each offering unique insights into His mission and our response. The first reading from Acts presents Peter addressing the crowd, highlighting their role in Jesus' crucifixion but emphasizing God's plan and the call to repentance. The second reading from 1 John underscores Jesus as the atonement for our sins, stressing the importance of adhering to His commandments. The Gospel from Luke vividly portrays Jesus appearing to His disciples, eating with them, and illuminating the fulfillment of Scriptures in His resurrection.
These readings interweave the narrative of redemption and the call to live faithfully. Peter’s speech in Acts and Luke’s post-resurrection account both emphasize the fulfillment of prophecy and the necessity of repentance. 1 John complements this by highlighting Jesus as our advocate and the need to follow His teachings, bridging the gap between belief and action. Together, they remind us that encountering Christ transforms us, compelling us to live according to His will.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to recognize Christ’s presence and to embrace His teachings. Just as the disciples found understanding through Jesus' explanation, we too can seek clarity in Scriptures. The moral lesson here is the transformative power of faith and the call to be witnesses of Christ’s message. Let us repent, keep His commandments, and spread the message of forgiveness, embodying the truth that Christ’s resurrection brings new life and purpose to our journey.