THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER (2024)
Readings:
Acts 3:13-15, 17-19
Psalms 4:2, 4, 7-9
1 John 2:1-5
Luke 24:35-48
Should your memory be better than mine, you will recall that last Sunday’s gospel had the very direct feeling that it was the end of the gospel of John: “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through Him is belief you may have life in His name.” That was John 20:30-31, which was no doubt meant to be the conclusion of what comprised John’s original gospel.
The Church’s lectionary, however, is not doing lectio continuum at this seasonal (Easter) time of year, and today’s appearance of Jesus is from the 24th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, which shows how important the appearances of Jesus after His resurrection are to the early church and to us. They provide very tangible examples that after the empty tomb Jesus was seen in a new and glorified state by many people. Jesus did not just disappear into thin air. Indeed, the mission all of the disciples were given in last week’s gospel, was strengthened and confirmed with Jesus’ appearance among them, in places familiar to the disciples, and doing things, like eating and being hungry, making the one who walked and talked among them familiar to them, in spite of Jesus’ divinized being. He is the same Jesus they accompanied from village to village. By appearing to His disciples, Jesus invited them to move beyond the fear and incredulity of the locked upper room and to begin to act on the belief that the only lasting power is love – and that such love disturbs the violent more than any weapon can.
At first glance today’s gospel might appear redundant, a mere repetition of last weekend’s gospel. A closer look, however, shows us that this Lucan appearance story has a lot to offer. The men who had met Jesus on their way to Emmaus had just finished telling their story when Jesus appeared in their midst, with the familiar wish for peace: “Peace be with you.” While there is no mention of the room being “locked,” Jesus was aware of the panicked murmuring spoken of last week, and Luke tells us that the group was “startled and terrified and they thought that they were seeing a ghost.” There was anything but “peace” in the room. Then Jesus asks them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts?” Jesus’ wounds are front and center, and He no doubt thought of the many times He tried to teach them that the messiah must suffer and die, and be raised on the third day. Were they not listening with their hearts?
Jesus then reminds them of all that He taught them, how the Scriptures all point to Him as their fulfillment. It is what we see Peter so ably doing in our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles: “God has brought to fulfillment what he had announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets.” The disciples behaved with “ignorance,” but now it is time to believe what is written in their hearts. The wounds Jesus still bore on His body have been conquered by a love so profound it can hardly be imagined.
When we are troubled and depressed, when nothing seems to make any sense and when all seems to be lost, when our workplace, our neighborhood, our world seems like it’s spinning out of control, Jesus comes to us and asks “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts?” Jesus has taught us the answer to all our questions. May He open our hearts not only to what is revealed in the Hebrew and Christians Scriptures, but to all that passes between Jesus and a heart united to His in love.
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