3rd Sunday of Easter – B
April 14, 2024 8:30 and 11am
Our Lady of Grace Parish, Parkton
The Disciples Feelings
The setting of the gospel that we just heard is probably just days or a week after Jesus’ death and resurrection.
The disciples seem to be feeling afraid, confused, and empty. We can pick up these feelings in a number of passages that we hear in these weeks after Easter.
So, in today’s gospel, the disciples feel afraid.
It says, “They were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost.” Last week, we heard that they had locked the doors of the place where they were because they were afraid.
They also seem to feel confused.
Again, today’s gospel says that they are “incredulous” – they can’t believe that they are seeing the risen Jesus. Other passages tell us that they just do not understand what is happening.
And then the disciples also seem to feel empty.
They have looked into Jesus’ tomb and found it empty. And they seem to realize that the tomb is a mirror of themselves because they feel empty, alone, and without purpose.
Our Feelings
Now, I am thinking that at times, we have feelings similar to what the first disciples had.
We are probably afraid at times. Our fear may be about a doctor’s report or about having enough money for the future.
Like the early disciples, we probably also feel confused at times. We may wonder if we have chosen the right path in life, or we may question whether God really hears our prayers.
And we probably also feel empty at times. We can feel alone and without purpose, and we can have these feelings whether we are in high school or in our senior years of life.
What to Do?
The question is: what can we do with these feelings?
The early disciples turn to three sources of strength to deal with their feelings, and we can do the same. These three sources of strength are: 1) the Community, 2) the Word, and 3) the Eucharist.
First, the disciples gather together as a community.
The gospels are clear that they are frequently together in these days and weeks after Jesus’ death. In fact, it is their sense of community that gives them some calm even with their fear.
That leads me to remember the tragic day of 9-11, twenty-three years ago, when I was pastor of Saint Francis de Sales Parish in Harford County, and we quickly put together a service of prayer for that evening and the church was full. That was a significant experience of being together as a community when we all had some degree of fear.
Second, the early disciples consistently listen to the Word of God.
In today’s gospel and in many of these Easter passages, Jesus is explaining the Scriptures to them. The Word of God helps them to deal with their confusion.
For us, the Word opens up a fuller and fuller insight into who God is and what our relationship with God is to be like. It brings us some direction when we feel confused.
And third, the early disciples consistently share the Eucharist.
The gospel says that they recognize Jesus in the breaking of the bread – that was their expression for this sacrament. The Eucharist fills their spiritual emptiness.
For us, the Eucharist helps us even physically to feel the presence and closeness of Jesus. It assures us that we are not alone and, in that way, fills the spiritual emptiness that we can feel.
Conclusion
So, we bring 1) our fear to a faith community.
We bring 2) our confusion to God’s Word and we bring 3) our emptiness to the Eucharist. If we tap these three sources, our faith and we ourselves will be strengthened.
And, of course, we find all three sources of strength – 1) Community, 2) Word, and 3) Eucharist – we find all three right here at Mass. This is why the Lord’s Day is one of God’s commandments and why Sunday Mass is so central to our Catholic Christian tradition.
