SECOND
SUNDAY OF EASTER- A-20232
In the second Sunday of Easter the Gospel reading tells us that Jesus came into the room where his friends were gathered together.
FIRST READING – Acts 2,42-47
Ø These verses describe the life of the first community
of the followers of Jesus.
Ø Community formed by men and women impacted by the
resurrection of Jesus; the Jesus whom they
had seen on the cross; or had heard
about.
Ø The first community of followers devoted themselves to
o
the teachings of the apostles
o The communal life
o
The breaking of
the bread
o The prayers
Ø Is it not what we do in our communities?
o
In the
celebration of the Eucharist or Mass
§ We listen to the Readings from Scripture, “the
instruction of the apostles.”
§ We pray together.
§ We “break the bread” of the Eucharistic
communion.
Ø Do we not put our goods in common? Some do it more radically while others do it in a
less drastic way, but we all share our goods through
o
The social works of
the Church
o
The works of
charity when our brothers and sisters are in need.
o
Helping with the
expenses and maintenance of our parishes, where we meet as the XXI century community of the followers of Jesus
Ø But let us ask ourselves: does our enthusiasm about the resurrection of Jesus resemble their enthusiasm? Or maybe time has caused our enthusiasm, and our love for Christ and for his suffering members, to cool off?
The responsorial psalm invites us to give thanks and reminds us of the goodness of our God who has raised Jesus, the Stone which the builders rejected and which has become the corner stone.
FIRST LETTER OF PETER
Let us say something about this letter
of Peter. In the New Testament we find two letters of Peter, the first letter
of Peter and the second letter of Peter.
« The letter begins saying “Peter, apostle of Christ to
the elected…” and ends sending greetings
from Babylon, name given to Rome.
« In chapter 5 the author speaks of himself as elder and
witness to the passion and glory of Christ.
« From the beginning of the Church the author of this
letter was Peter for the reasons mentioned above.
« However, for some this affirmation presents some
difficulties for the following reasons:
o
The literary
style as well as the Greek language of this letter do not seem to come from a fisherman
from Galilee.
o
The biblical
quotes are taken from the Greek Bible instead of the Hebrew one.
o
There is also a
lack of references to his personal memories as a close companion of Jesus.
« However, there is nothing definite because there are
not sufficient arguments to prove either of the two positions.
« This letter has 5 chapters, and it resembles more a
homily than a letter.
« The theme is the passion of Christ related to the
sufferings of the addressee of the letter.
« They knew very well what were the consequences of
baptism; the persecutions and sufferings that awaited them. Thus there are many
references within the letter to the baptismal catechesis and liturgy.
« Peter reminds them of the future that will be theirs if they remain faithful.
SECOND READING 1Pt 1,3-9
o
Thanksgiving to
the Father who has given new life to us through the death and resurrection of
his son Jesus.
o
The hope we have
is the inheritance that cannot be destroyed because it is in heaven.
o
God protects us
so that we may be able to attaint this inheritance.
o
After mentioning
hope, the author of the letter speaks of faith. He invites us to rejoice amid
the difficulties that put our faith to the test.
o
He says something
which is really beautiful: “although you have never seen the Lord, you love
him.” This sentence seems to be the echo of what John will write in his gospel:
Blest are they who have not seen and believed.”
o
The faith in Him
produces a joy impossible to describe, joy because we are saved by the
Lord.
o
Is our hope,
faith and love for the Lord so strong that they give us this overflowing joy?
GOSPEL Jn 20,19-31
In the evening of that
same day, the first day of the week… what day is that? The day of the
resurrection. Jesus appears to his own, who
are hiding because they are afraid.
The Lord comes
and stands before them. He shows them his hands and his side, so they may
realize that it is Jesus himself. He allows them to touch him to help them understand
that he is not a ghost or an illusion of their mind.
His presence brings
peace. The peace he gives, peace that
produces joy in their hearts.
He sends them as
he had been sent by the Father. He gives them the Holy Spirit who
will help them to forgive.
When he comes
back the next Sunday, with love and tenderness he invites Thomas to touch him.
Thomas says in
response the beautiful prayer “My Lord and my God.”
And Jesus tells
him and to all of us “You have believed because you have seen, but blessed are
those who will believe without seeing.”
Is it not that
our happiness and blessedness? We have not seen physically the Lord, but as
Peter says we love him and believe in him.
CLARETIAN CORNER
|
The missionary must be always kind and
be all to all but without losing his composure and religious circumspection The whole world must be country for the missionary of
Christ, because our Divine Redeemer came to redeem all, sending to preach the
same Gospel all over the world.(María Antonia
París, Foundress of the Claretian Missionary Sisters; The Apostolic Missionary, part II,1 & 10.) In many passages of the Bible I felt the voice of God
calling me to go forth and preach. The same thing happened to me while I was
at prayer. Thus it was that I determined to leave the parish and go
to Rome, to present myself to the Congregation for the Propagation of the
Faith so that they could send me anywhere in the world. (St. Anthony Mary Claret, Founder of the Claretian Missionary
Sisters; Autobiography 120.) |
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