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GRASPERS: April 19, 2015 The Third Sunday of Easter
Gospel Reading, Acclamation, Scriptures, Prayer, Enlightenment, Reflection, Sharing
Welcome: Welcome the group and invite them to get ready to begin.
Opening: Let’s bring ourselves into this time together with a moment of silence.
(Count slowly to ten, then if you choose, you may light a candle.)
With Christ’s light leading us, let us begin in the name of the Father . . .
Gospel Reading, Acclamation and Scriptures: Groups may choose to read one, two or all three readings.
After each reading, allow for a minute or two of silent reflection time. Invite the group members to listen for a
word or phrase that gets their attention or touches their hearts.
A reading from the book of the Acts of the Apostles (3.13-15, 17-19)
Peter said to the people:
“The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant
Jesus, whom you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence when he had decided to release him. You denied
the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. The author of life you put to death,
but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses. Now I know, brothers, that you acted out of
ignorance, just as your leaders did; but God has thus brought to fulfillment what he had announced beforehand
through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer. Repent, therefore, and be converted, that
your sins may be wiped away.”
A reading from the first letter of Saint John (2.1-5a)
My children, I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an
Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only
but for those of the whole world. The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments.
Those who say, “I know him,” but do not keep his commandments are liars, and the truth is not in them. But
whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him.
Acclamation (Luke 24.32)
Lord Jesus, open the Scriptures to us; make our hearts burn while you speak to us.
A reading from the holy gospel according to Luke (24.35-48)
The two disciples recounted what had taken place on the way,
and how Jesus was made known to them
in the breaking of bread.
While they were still speaking about this,
he stood in their midst and said to them,
“Peace be with you.”
But they were startled and terrified
and thought that they were seeing a ghost.
Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled?
And why do questions arise in your hearts?
Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.
Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones
as you can see I have.”
And as he said this,
he showed them his hands and his feet.
While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed,
he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?”
They gave him a piece of baked fish;
he took it and ate it in front of them.
He said to them,
“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you,
that everything written about me in the law of Moses
and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.”
Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
And he said to them,
“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer
and rise from the dead on the third day
and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,
would be preached in his name
to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things.”
Prayer
Allow for 1-2 minutes of quiet prayer time, to allow for God’s Word to enter into the hearts of the small group.
Enlightenment, Reflection and Sharing:
What words, phrases or themes grabbed your attention or touched your heart?
What enlightenments or insights would you like to share, from the Scriptures and/or this week’s author?
What is God saying to you through the Scriptures?
Petitions:
Before moving into the prayer, allow for a minute of silence after the last person has shared.
I invite you now to share prayers that you may have for yourselves or for the world.
Our response is: Lord, hear our prayer.
After enough time has been given for the petitions, conclude by saying:
Let us now pray in the words that Jesus has given to use. Our Father . . .
Conclusion:
Let us conclude our time together with a Sign of Peace.
Third Sunday of Easter B
Luke 24:35-48
‘Happiness is to rejoice in Christ, for Christ, because of Christ’. Those are words of St. Augustine
who had direct experience of restlessness and of wrestling with God before he found the joy
which faith brings. In his wrestling with God he discovered that you win by losing. God broke
through the resistance and filled a restless heart with joy. In naming the source of his joy,
Augustine identifies what he needs to do to keep that joy vibrant.
One of the surprising things in the stories of the appearances of the risen Lord to his disciples is
how often the reaction to his presence is fear and not joy. Faith did not come easily for the first
disciples. Their eyes had to be opened before they could savour the joy of Jesus’ presence.
Aspects of the joy which he gives are alluded to in the gospel today. Jesus explains how all that
happened to him was in the plan of God. The glue that holds all events together and gives
cohesion to them is God’s love. His love is in every event, past and present. Because of that
love, everything is brought to work for what is good. ‘God is indescribably close to us, intimately
near, personally and passionately present. This love startles us. Most of us don’t have the
courage to embrace it.’ (Teresa Bielecki). To know the love of God that is actively working for us
is a cause for joy. Life is for us, not against us. That love prepared the way for Christ, it was
there in Jesus’ life, it continues to be active in the Church which is Jesus living on in the world.
Joy is linked to repentance and the forgiveness of sins. In the events leading up to Calvary the
disciples remained blind to the plan of God. What they did not understand they resisted. In fear
they abandoned Jesus. The presence of the risen Jesus brought freedom to understand the plan
of God, freedom to let go of their resistance to it and freedom from fear. Jesus brought to them
the joy of being liberated and forgiven. That joy continues where there is ongoing conversion.
God continues to heal blindness caused by sin, to heal resistance to his ways and the fear that
cripples. From all that oppresses he sets free. To experience that is joy.
Disciples are to be witnesses to the resurrection, making the gospel attractive through their
witness. Joy is the most convincing evidence of faith in the resurrection. That joy is “the gigantic
secret of Christians” (G.K. Chesterton). That joy in Christ and for Christ is not meant to be a
secret. Like every gift, it to be shared. Whether we are conscious of it or not, we witness to what
we really believe in. Strong convictions break through. Jesus calls us to be conscious of what we
really want to pass on, to be aware of what we want our witness to be. He came to tell us about
his Father. What do I want my life to say to others ?
For prayer:
What are the sources of joy in my life ?
What witness do I really want to give ? What good news am I offering this day ?
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