Third Sunday of Easter Year A 2023

Title

Opps! I Repent!

Outline

Doing wrong things is understandable, but failing to accept correction and repent is unpardonable

A child may do wrong unwittingly or on impulse that they fail to control, but a wise adult will only get super firm when they fail to listen to correction and at least make a start at changing behavior.

Abuse of various types in school or church is awful and must be corrected and prevented, but what is truly unpardonable (unless there is a change of mind) is the refusal of abusers or leaders of abusers to accept evidence (after investigation), repent of any complicity, and correct institutional and personal behavior.

That is what we see in our texts today

First, there was evidence that Jesus should have been accepted:

“Jesus the Nazorean was a man commended to you by God with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs, which God worked through him in your midst.” Or “Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people.”

Second, there was therefore the experience of his unjust execution (perhaps unknowingly):

He was “delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God, you killed, using lawless men to crucify him.” “Our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him.” This was a total injustice.

This led to the sad conclusion: “we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel.”

Third, there is the correction and reinterpretation of the reality

“God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death, because it was impossible for him to be held by it.” Which known from both the evidence that Cleopas and his companion cited at length (which had not changed their mind since it was misinterpreted, and from that which Peter cites, “God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses.” This is what Peter refers to when speaking to believers about “who through him [Jesus] believe in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.”

And it is known through a rereading of the Hebrew Scriptures, which give evidence that God pointed long beforehand to his doing this great act of vindication.

This should lead to repentance and change of mind and behavior

This change affects how we live: “Now if you invoke as Father him who judges impartially according to each one’s works, conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning, realizing that you were ransomed with the precious blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb.”

It also affects our awareness of Jesus, his rule, God’s presence, and the Spirit among us. Thus Cleopas and his companion saw a typical Jewish mealtime prayer, but as they saw this guest who had set their hearts aflame doing it, they realize it was Jesus, just as well formed minds and hearts can see Jesus present in the Eucharist.

That is, we are they “who through him [Jesus] believe in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” Our whole outlook on life has changed.

We are more culpable if we reject these truths and more blessed if we accept them.

Our problem and other people’s problem before God is not their past: it may have been ignorance or lack of connecting the dots or insistence on our own way or interpretation. From God’s point of view Jesus died to resolve that - the problem is that we hang onto it.

If we realize that as those who have been shown the evidence and have been enlightened we are those who “invoke as Father him who judges impartially according to each one’s works” then we should realize that this is not human justice but divine judgment from the all-knowing One. We know that if someone lacks the proper awareness our job is to kindly enlighten them, but if we or then refuse to bow to Jesus afterwards, it is God who judges, not us. And woe to the person who faces condemnation by God.

If we realize that Peter and Luke address their writings to people open to repenting or who have repented and changed their mind, that we realize that the past is no hindrance to our present blessing or our future glorification. Indeed, the magnitude of the transformation is often celebrated as it is with Paul.

There it is, brothers and sisters, we do not need to judge, but only to enlighten those open to it and to live God’s new perspective ourselves. Towards those who reject the resurrected Jesus we should have nothing but compassion and fervent prayer that God will indeed works his change in them.

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 4-23-2023: Third Sunday of Easter

FIRST READING

Acts 2:14, 22–33

14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them, “You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem. Let this be known to you, and listen to my words.

22 You who are Israelites, hear these words. Jesus the Nazorean was a man commended to you by God with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs, which God worked through him in your midst, as you yourselves know. 23 This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God, you killed, using lawless men to crucify him. 24 But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death, because it was impossible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says of him:

‘I saw the Lord ever before me,

with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.

26 Therefore my heart has been glad and my tongue has exulted;

my flesh, too, will dwell in hope,

27 because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld,

nor will you suffer your holy one to see corruption.

28 You have made known to me the paths of life;

you will fill me with joy in your presence.’

29 My brothers, one can confidently say to you about the patriarch David that he died and was buried, and his tomb is in our midst to this day. 30 But since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that neither was he abandoned to the netherworld nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses. 33 Exalted at the right hand of God, he received the promise of the holy Spirit from the Father and poured it forth, as you [both] see and hear.

Catholic Daily Readings 4-23-2023: Third Sunday of Easter

RESPONSE

Psalm 16:11a

11 You will show me the path to life,

abounding joy in your presence,

the delights at your right hand forever.

PSALM

Psalm 16:1–2, 5, 7–11

1 A miktam of David.

Keep me safe, O God;

in you I take refuge.

2 I say to the LORD,

you are my Lord,

you are my only good.

5 LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,

you have made my destiny secure.

7 I bless the LORD who counsels me;

even at night my heart exhorts me.

8 I keep the LORD always before me;

with him at my right hand, I shall never be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, my soul rejoices;

my body also dwells secure,

10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,

nor let your devout one see the pit.

11 You will show me the path to life,

abounding joy in your presence,

the delights at your right hand forever.

Catholic Daily Readings 4-23-2023: Third Sunday of Easter

SECOND READING

1 Peter 1:17–21

17 Now if you invoke as Father him who judges impartially according to each one’s works, conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning, 18 realizing that you were ransomed from your futile conduct, handed on by your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold 19 but with the precious blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb. 20 He was known before the foundation of the world but revealed in the final time for you, 21 who through him believe in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Catholic Daily Readings 4-23-2023: Third Sunday of Easter

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Luke 24:32

32 Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?”

GOSPEL

Luke 24:13–35

13 Now that very day two of them were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, 14 and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. 15 And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, 16  but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” They stopped, looking downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?” 19 And he replied to them, “What sort of things?” They said to him, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. 21 But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. 22 Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning 23 and did not find his body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. 24 Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see.” 25 And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! 26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the scriptures. 28 As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. 29 But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. 31 With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. 32 Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?” 33 So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them 34 who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 4-23-2023: Third Sunday of Easter

SUNDAY, APRIL 23, 2023 | EASTER

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER

YEAR A | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading Acts 2:14, 22–33

Response Psalm 16:11a

Psalm Psalm 16:1–2, 5, 7–11

Second Reading 1 Peter 1:17–21

Gospel Acclamation Luke 24:32

Gospel Luke 24:13–35

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