Easter 3 19 April
 

PREPARATION

As we enter into this Easter period, we look at the different perspectives of the encounters with the risen Lord. It is not just a focus on Jesus' resurrection, but also what it meant to those who saw him.

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Acts 2.14a; 2.22-32

14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: ‘Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say.
22 ‘You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know—
23 this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law.
24 But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power.
25 For David says concerning him,
“I saw the Lord always before me,
    for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken;
26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
    moreover, my flesh will live in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
    or let your Holy One experience corruption.
28 You have made known to me the ways of life;
    you will make me full of gladness with your presence.”
29 ‘Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
30 Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne.
31 Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying,
“He was not abandoned to Hades,
    nor did his flesh experience corruption.”
32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses.

 

 

REFLECTION

We will see this reading again around Pentecost. Peter is talking to Jews and proclaiming the truth Of Jesus to those who had a heart for God and who the Holy Spirit had made possible to understand Peter. God wanted them to know the truth of God's work and Peter is inspired to recall the words of King David. This was the hope of all who believed and followed God with their hearts. Imagine their joy as they experienced the blessing of understanding languages and to hear that which they waited for declared as fulfilled. They did not believe because of Peter's words, but because the Spirit of God revealed it to them. Though they did not see they believed. 

 

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Psalm 16

1 Preserve me, O God:

for in you have I taken refuge.

2 I have said to the Lord, You are my lord:

and all my good depends on you.

3 As for those who are held holy on the earth:

the other gods in whom people delight,

4 Though the idols are many that they run after:

their offerings of blood I will not offer,

nor take their name upon my lips.

5 The Lord is my appointed portion and my cup:

you hold my lot in your hands.

6 The share that has fallen to me is in pleasant places:

and a fair land is my possession.

7 I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel:

at night also he has instructed my heart.

8 I have set the Lord always before me:

he is at my right hand, and I shall not fall.

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my spirit rejoices:

my flesh also shall rest secure.

10 For you will not give me over to the power of death:

nor suffer your faithful one to see the Pit.

11 You will show me the path of life:

in your presence is the fulness of joy,

and from your right hand flow delights for evermore.

 

 

1 Peter 1.1-12

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with his blood: May grace and peace be yours in abundance. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, 7 so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that was to be yours made careful search and inquiry, 11 inquiring about the person or time that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated, when it testified in advance to the sufferings destined for Christ and the subsequent glory. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things that have now been announced to you through those who brought you good news by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look!

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REFLECTION

Peter writes to this community to affirm and encourage them. He starts, as is custom, with defining the writer, Peter, an apostle of Christ, note he defines his authority. The readers, this was meant to be read widely. He wants them to remember who they are, so, points out they are chosen, destined, sanctified, to be obedient and sprinkled with the blood.  These are important words, even though it is only the introduction. He blesses them, 

Now to the letter. He points out their new birth through the resurrection. 

They are inheritors

protected through salvation

I feel he touches on how they received this initially when he says the rejoice. 1 Peter 1:6. He wants them to continue in this joy. 

He points to hardship and wants them to not let it affect them. 

He points to a faith, that is more precious than gold, but is tested by fire.

Through it they save their soul. 

This salvation and inheritance was prophesied by those who never received it in their life and that they prophesied for them. 

I break this down so that you may understand Peter is writing to us. he knew the people he had bought to Christ were being challenged by the world and that they needed to hold fast to the faith they had accepted with joy and passion. We too need to hold fast to the passion that we have for our faith. We need to bring the joy and love of God into our daily lives. That we may stand firm in the trials that the world afflicts us with.

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John 20.19-31

19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’ 24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’ 26 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ 27 Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’ 28 Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ 29 Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’ 30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

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REFLECTION

Poor Thomas. I have been doing this reading for so long and I feel I have journeyed with different feelings and thoughts about Thomas. I now see him as a reflection of those who doubt the resurrection and seek proof, which is a lot of people today. Unlike Thomas though, many will not see Jesus and his wounds. That is why I believe Jesus finishes with, 'Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’' John 20:29b. I think this reading appears every year as the first reading after Easter for the same reason. I may think this reading is about others, but I feel belief of the resurrection and the importance of the Easter grace are easily lost, forgotten, trivialized. We are called again to reaffirm our belief in Christ's action on the cross and the power that raised him from the dead as more than flesh.  Do you believe?

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