Octave of Easter
13th April 2023 (Wednesday) Readings and Reflection
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Reading of the Day
First Reading: Acts 3:11-26
In those days: While the lame man clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's. And 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? The 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. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And 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. "And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. Moses 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. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.' And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. You 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.' God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness."
Psalm 8:2ab and 5, 6-7a, 7b-9 (R. 2ab)
R/. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name through all the earth! Or: Alleluia.
Gospel : Luke 24:35-48
At that time: The two disciples told what had happened on the road to Emmaus, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, "Peace to you!" But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See 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." And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marvellling, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them. Then 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." Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Main Theme: Peace that tranquilises!
Indicative: As long as the Lord does not enter into our hearts and lives, there is fear and incredulity. But once the Lord enters, there is faith and peace{alertSuccess}
1. The greatest gift of Easter is peace. It is not like the peace of the world which is often the evasion and absence of troubles. The peace of the Lord is one that dispels all fear, misapprehension, lack of recognition, trouble, doubt and incredulity. It is a peace that brings a personal encounter with the risen Lord.
2. Some ingredients of this encounter are: the Lord once again reveals and confirms his identity. He tranquilises their troubled hearts. He gladdens them with joy. He shares a meal with them. He opens their minds to understand God’s ways. And he commissions them with the mission of bearing witness.
3. The effects of this encounter and faith in the risen Lord are concretely seen in Peter. Peter becomes empowered and a powerful witness. Thereby, his whole focus was God’s glory and his mission. He was concerned only with bringing all to God and not to himself.
4. Accordingly, after the healing of the crippled beggar, even though all glorify him and thus there was every possibility of shooting into fame, still he would humble himself. He would not seek cheap popularity. Rather he would attribute all credit to God alone
5. Further, Peter would become forgiving and magnanimous like his master. He does not nurture any self-righteous attitude. He does not condemn the Jews for what they had done to Jesus. Rather, he would condone and absolve them of their iniquity. He says, “You acted out of ignorance”.
6. He generates faith in the crippled man and leads him to the Lord. This is indicated by the fact that the healed crippled man began to “cling” to Peter and John. It was not clinging to two individuals. It was clinging to “faith” in the Lord.
7. The effects of the risen Lord continue in and through Peter. He calls all for repentance and conversion. He motivates them with the strength of hope. He assures them that if they repent and are transformed, their sins will be wiped away and they will be granted times of refreshment.
Imperative: The power of the risen Lord is testified in deep humility, committed mission and bearing witness{alertSuccess}