Stephen, filled with grace and power, works great signs among the people. As a result, he is attacked in an unjust way and brought before the Sanhedrin.
On the road to Emmaus, two disciples are traveling the wrong way – away from Jerusalem – when they are suddenly accompanied by Jesus, whom they do not recognize. Through the Scriptures and the Breaking of the Bread their hearts blaze with faith and they return to Jerusalem. Their encounter with Christ through the Word of God and the Eucharist inspires us to draw near to the Lord at every Mass, so that we might regularly get back on track as we encounter and follow Jesus.
As the early Christian community continued to grow, the Apostles requested that seven men – filled with the Holy Spirit – be charged with the task for the daily distribution. May this practical, ordinary work remind us that the Spirit touches every aspect of our lives…helping and blessing all our efforts to serve the Lord and one another.
Gamaliel offers sound spiritual guidance to the Sanhedrin regarding their judgment of the Apostles, reminding us that if we remain close to Christ we will be directed and strengthened to carry out the Lord’s work amidst the ongoing attacks of this world.
Filled with the Holy Spirit, the Apostles give witness before the Sanhedrin about Jesus. Their conviction in this critical situation inspires us to call upon the Spirit for daily guidance and strength.
Thrown in jail, the Apostles are freed by the Angel of God who directs them to continue to preach the Good News. They respond with conviction, revealing to us an example of how we live our lives for the Lord today.
We discover in the Acts of the Apostles a common theme of unity within the early Church. They were of “one heart and mind” and lived their faith in Christ in both physical and spiritual ways.
Released from prison, Peter and John rejoin the disciples in a moment of prayer and praise to God. They are filled with the Holy Spirit and boldly proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Here are some of the main themes in the readings for the 3rd Sunday of Easter.
1st Reading – Acts: 2:14,22-33
Peter preaches to the people about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Peter cites Psalm 16, revealing how this passage is fulfilled in Christ.
Psalm – 16:1-2,4,7-11
“Lord, you will show us the path of life.”
The passage recaps a substantial amount of what Peter quoted to the people in the first reading.
2nd Reading – 1st Peter 1:17-21
This exhortation to conduct ourselves with reverence finds its strength in Christ, the spotless unblemished blood of the lamb of God.
Christ is revealed to us through our faith, hope, and belief in God.
Gospel – Luke 24:13-35
On the road to Emmaus, two disciples encounter Jesus along the way as he interprets the scripture passages that refer to Christ.
During the breaking of the bread, they recognize Jesus – who disappears from their sight – and return to Jerusalem to announce to the disciples what they experienced.
This basic structure – Scripture and the breaking of the bread – is the basic outline for the Mass we celebrate!
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