3rd Sunday of Easter (Cycle B, Year I)

Community Word:  Followers of the Resurrected Christ seek what is above.

Theme: We seek what is above when we open our minds to understand Scriptures.

Promise: “But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him.” (1Jn 2:5)

Reflection:
Christian witnessing, humility, prayerful disposition, opening ourselves to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and understanding the Word of God. These are the key virtues we are exhorted to embrace in our readings today.

But let us first identify what hinders us from embracing these virtues. Does our life reflect the heart & character of Jesus? Are we hearers and doers of God’s Word? Do we see ourselves as the be all and end all of everything we have accomplished? Do we share intimate time with Jesus through daily prayer? Do we read and understand, and are we guided by His Word in the decisions we make each day?

We may all have different answers to the above questions, but one thing is certain – in varying degrees, we all fall short of the ideal to which we aspire. But Jesus, in His infinite love and mercy, does not condemn us for our shortcomings, but reminds us instead, not to remain ignorant of His Word. “Now I know, brothers that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did” (Acts 3:17).  Rather, He gives us time to repent and correct our ignorance.  He knows man’s weaknesses and man’s difficulty in accepting what he cannot see, including in believing that He has risen from the dead.  Or, while a part of us do believe, another part of us remains skeptical, doubtful, even fearful of what is supernatural or unseen.

When Jesus appeared to the two disciples on their way to Emmaus, they did not recognize Him at first, thinking He was merely one of the many travelers along the road. The truth is, even when we cling to our faith, there is always a part of us that persists in unbelief  – the side of us that needs a daily dose of watering and nourishment in the Word, for our faith in the Risen Christ needs to grow and its roots to deepen.  Faithful reading and reflecting on His word helps us to know the person of Jesus Christ, His works and His teachings. Knowledge of Scripture therefore, is the key to perfecting God’s love in us, because only through intimate knowledge of His word can we truly follow Jesus’s example, as 1John 2:5 tells us.  “But whoever keeps His word, the love of God is perfected in him, whoever claims to abide in Him ought to live just the way He lived.”And we know also from Scripture that Jesus lived a life for the good of others – He fed the hungry, healed the sick, defended the weak, helped the poor, the outcast, comforted the afflicted, and sought the lost.

In the 2nd Reading, John tells us that our faith must be manifested in and through our lives, by following God’s commandments. What does it say about those who claim to honor and revere God, but ignore, or make light of His commandments?  Are they not liars and hypocrites? But salvation is not for a few but for all. Jesus came and died for us, to give us new life.  However, if we do not live this new life, how are we to receive the grace of salvation?Hence, openness and the humility to see and accept our own frailties and shortcomings  are prerequisites to receiving the grace of repentance and forgiveness … “Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away” (Acts 3:19).

God’s love is perfected in us through our daily living, the witnessing of our lives that testifies that God is alive in us.  When we reflect God’s love in our relationship with others, we exercise His mercy and compassion, temperance and good will win over our own idiosyncrasies. Then, perhaps we may say that we are living the truth, because whenever we follow the way of falsehood, we lie about our faith in Christ Jesus. We deny Him, the Holy and Righteous One (Acts 3:14).  Yes, we become liars every time we sin because we do not do what we profess to believe in. But belief in the Resurrected Christ, that He is alive in us, urges us to change our mindsets, our wayward patterns of behavior and our wrongful lifestyles.

Nothing can be concealed from the eyes of God.  Perhaps, we can deceive ourselves – and others – that we are His followers. But there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed in the fullness of time.  And so, brothers and sisters in Christ, we need to be careful about what we cling to, or hold dear to our hearts, that we may truly be faithful in following Christ, no matter the cost. If we believe in His promise of eternal life, love will be made perfect in us because of His continued presence and nourishment of our spiritual lives through His Word.

Prayer:
O Merciful Lord, fill my spirit with what is of You, knowing full well that as I do, You will bless me with a better understanding of Your Word that nourishes my life, regardless of the situation I may find myself in at the moment. Breathe on me and fill me with the Gifts & Fruit of your Holy Spirit, so that I may stand witness to the power of Your love in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

1.    Does our life reflect the heart & character of Jesus?
2.    Are we doers of God’s Word, not just hearers?
3.    Do we claim all the credit for our accomplishments in life?
4.    Do we share intimate time with Jesus through our daily prayers?
5.    Do we read and understand His Word daily that we may be guided in whatever decisions we have to make?

This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
April 19, 2015 (Sun)    Acts 3:13-15,17-19/Ps 4:2,4,7-8,9/1Jn 2:1-5/Lk 24:35-48
April 20, 2015 (Mon)    Acts 6:8-15/Ps 119:23-24,26-27,29-30/Jn 6:22-29
April 21, 2015 (Tue)    Acts 7:51-8:1/Ps 31:3-4,6,7,8,17,21/Jn 6:30-35
April 22, 2015 (Wed)    Acts 8:1-8/Ps 66:1-3,4-5,6-7/Jn 6:35-40
April 23, 2015 (Thur)    Acts 8:26-40/Ps 66:8-9,16-17,20/Jn 6:44-51
April 24, 2015 (Fri)       Acts 9:1-20/Ps 117:1,2/Jn 6:52-59
April 25, 2015 (Sat)    1Pt 5:5-14/Ps 89:2-3,6-7,16-17/Mk 16:15-20

“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ.  Read your Bible daily!”

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