This is the third Sunday of Easter, and the Gospel is always a resurrection appearance of Jesus. The author shows that Jesus was neither a Ghost nor a Zombie and that this is important for how we live as Christians. We need to hear this just as much as the original audience.
This year St Luke continues the story of the disciples on the way to Emmaus. This is Easter day. Mary Magdelene and other women went to the tomb and found it empty. Two angels told them that he was raised. They told the disciples in the upper room, Peter investigated and returned dazed and confused. Two disciples left Jerusalem for a small-town named Emmaus and Jesus joined them, but they did not know that it was him. The roads were dangerous, and the disciples assumed that this stranger wanted to join them for safety. They discussed Jesus, his death, and the mysterious disappearance of his body. Jesus explains these events from the perspective of scripture, their hearts burned within them, and they invited Jesus to eat with them. At it he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, they recognized him, and he disappeared.
Thus far his risen body is human enough that no one comments on it but different enough from the one that the disciples were used to that they did not recognize him. He was also able to appear and disappear at will. Obviously, Jesus was not simply resuscitated.
Continue reading “Third Sunday of Easter – Homily (Fr. Smith)”
