Homily – Third Sunday of Easter

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today we come to realise that while Jesus is risen from the dead we have to lead our own journey of faith, supported by his resurrection and constant presence.

Somehow the cares of everyday seem to crowd in around us.  Our responsibilities to family, to people, our work, the uncongenial nature of some of the people with whom we have to associate – all of these things seem to press on us and take the shine from our Easter faith.

Yet, Our Lord’s resurrection is transforming because we are not merely invited to live the life of grace, but his light shines in our darkness.  As Saint John says, ‘a light that darkness cannot overpower’.  Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus who had their doubts about Jesus, the resurrection can seem to be receding from our life because of the problems which surround us.  Yet gradually on the journey to Emmaus, Jesus walks with them, explains the Scriptures to them and leads them to a living faith.

Every Sunday in the Eucharist it is the Risen Jesus who walks with us and whom we receive in Holy Communion. Jesus, once again, leads us along our journey so that we will come through the struggles and the darkness to the light that only he can bring because his resurrection is real, his power as God reaches into the vulnerability of human lives and takes us beyond.

Obviously for the disciples the conversation with Jesus and his unfolding of the Scriptures was tremendously revealing and at the end at supper when Jesus took bread and blessed it their eyes were opened and their hearts were burning within them.  Their eyes were opened to see who Jesus was; their hearts were burning because they recognised Jesus in the breaking of bread in the Eucharist.  Jesus even chides them for their slowness to believe and to see God’s plan of suffering, resurrection and glory, which is the pattern of what we are asked to do.

By Archbishop Denis Hart