Third Sunday of Easter

Today's Mass Readings

Forward: Easter is the most festive season of the Liturgical Year. It is a time of both joy and remembrance. It can easily be a time to lose focus as Spring begins things get busy. Just as we are meant to keep a penitential attitude throughout Lent, we are meant to keep a celebratory attitude during the 50 days of Easter. This week I am presenting text from the Exultet as a guide for the meditations. I encourage you to take these texts to prayer as we celebrate new life in Christ.

“Exalt, let all the Earth Exalt, let Angel ministers of God exult, let the Trumpet of Salvation sound aloud our mighty King’s triumph.” Exultet, lines 1-2

The readings for this Sunday offer us a vista of past, present, and future events. We read in Acts how the Apostles were brought before the Sanhedrin. They are questioned about their preaching. Peter, now restored to grace, defiantly tells them that it is better “to obey God and not men.” This is in marked contrast to the fear that they all had felt a short time ago during Jesus’ Passion and Death. The Sanhedrin is at a loss as to how to deal with them. They put them out and then flogged them. In spite of this disgrace, the Apostles went away rejoicing to “have suffered dishonor for the Kingdom of God.”

Revelation presents a vision of Eternity where countless angels worship before God. They cry out “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive glory and power, wisdom and strength, honor and glory and praise.” All the beauty and pageantry center on the “the One who sits on the throne and the Lamb.” This, for us, is our future. We are called to share Eternity with God. If we long for holiness and repent for our sins, and most of all believe in the Son of God, this will be our future.

Then, we come to a present moment. John 21 takes us to the time of Jesus’ appearance at the Sea of Tiberias, and Peter’s reconciliation with Him. Peter and the other disciples had gone back to their trade, fishing. They had “fallen off the way,” and now needed to be called back to the fold. Peter had the farthest to come. He denied Jesus three times. Now, he is given the opportunity to repent. This is a “present moment,” although it recalls a past event. As the celebration of Mass brings Jesus’ one sacrifice into the present, reconciliation brings Jesus’ mercy and forgiveness into our time. Jesus forgave Peter and called him to self-less love. Jesus is present to us in the Blessed Sacrament of Reconciliation. No matter what we have done or how we have failed, Jesus brings us to this Divine Mercy when we go to go Confession. We hear Jesus again tell us what He told Peter all those years ago. “Follow me.”

For today, let us take time to reflect on how we use the Sacrament of Reconciliation to follow Jesus as His disciple. Amen. Alleluia!

Reflection by Br. Matthew Marie, OSB