Third Sunday of Easter B (2021)

Today’s gospel gives us the account of an appearance of the Risen Jesus. The first lines recall a previous appearance, when Jesus joined two disciples who were walking to a village called Emmaus. They were despondent, because the death of Jesus on the cross had destroyed all the hopes they had in him as the one who would set Israel free. Jesus explained to them, referring to the Scriptures, how he in fact had fulfilled all the prophecies, which announced that the Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah, had to suffer and so enter into glory. As the disciples realized later, while Jesus was speaking to them their hearts were on fire – in other words, they were filled with hope and joy.

We see the same thing happening in today’s gospel. The disciples in Jerusalem are frightened when Jesus comes suddenly in their midst. They think he is a ghost. After reassuring them that he is truly Jesus, their Master, who has risen from the dead and is well and alive, Jesus says to them: “Everything written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets and in the Psalms has to be fulfilled.” He then opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

It would seem that the disciples really understood what Jesus told them. In the First Reading we have heard that Peter, preaching to the people about Jesus, about his passion, death and resurrection, was able to say: “This was the way God carried out what he had foretold, when he said through all his prophets that his Christ would suffer.”

In our profession of faith, which we recite on Sundays, we say about Jesus: “For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures.”

So we see again underlined the importance of the Scriptures. We can ask ourselves: What place do the Scriptures have in our lives?

We can perhaps learn from our Muslim brothers and sisters.  In many Muslim families the Qur’an is as it were enthroned, and given a place of honor in the living-room.  I wonder whether in our homes the Bible is given a prominent place.

But of course the Bible is not just to be looked at and admired; it is also to be read.  A good number of times Pope Francis has encouraged people to carry with them a Bible, or at least a copy of the Gospels, one they can slip in their pocket or in their purse, so that they can dip into it when they are travelling, or when they are waiting for an appointment. He has had thousands of copies of the Gospels distributed in St Peter’s Square. We could try to follow the encouragement given to us by Pope Francis.

Again we can learn from Muslims.  As you may well know, at this time, from last Tuesday until the middle of May, they are observing Ramadan. Now Ramadan is a special month, not only of fasting, but also of more intense prayer. During Ramadan many Muslims make a point of reading their Holy Book, the Qur’an. The Qur’an is in fact divided into thirty sections, one for each day of the month, so by reading a section each day during Ramadan they will have read the whole Qur’an.

Why do we not try to read a little bit of Scripture each day? You might say: “But we hear the Scriptures read for us at Sunday Mass”. This is true, but we only hear short passages. It is very helpful to read before and after the readings that we have at Mass, so that we can put them in their context and understand them better.

Jesus has promised to be with us always, and one of the ways in which he is present to us is through the Scriptures. He has sent his Holy Spirit down upon the Church, and he continues to give each one of us this same Spirit. It is the Spirit who inspired the Scriptures, helping the various authors of the sacred books, both of the Old Testament and the New Testament, to find the best way of presenting their message. So when we read Scripture it is the Spirit in our hearts who helps us to understand what has been written under the influence of the same Spirit. In other words, the Scriptures are not just books about the past. We could say that they are alive. They have a message for us today.

Let us listen once more to the words of Jesus in today’s gospel:

So you see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this.

Let us take notice of these last words. “You are witnesses to this.” If we nourish ourselves through the Scriptures we will be better witnesses. We shall be able to follow the instruction given by the apostle Peter:

Simply reverence the Lord Christ in your hearts, and always have your answer ready for people who ask you the reason for the hope that you all have. But give it with courtesy and respect and with a clear conscience (1 P 3:15-16).

As he came to his disciples, so Jesus is coming to us in this Eucharist. Let us ask him to teach us and strengthen our faith in him. As he nourishes us with his own body and blood, let us ask him to give us courage to be his witnesses, wherever we are, for the glory of God, the Father. Amen.