Acts of the Apostles 2:14, 22-33
1 Peter 1:17-21
Luke 24:13-35
 
The opening line to this week’s passage from ACTS is from the day of Pentecost where Peter boldly proclaims that the Spirit of the Lord has touched them and that they are understanding each other in their native tongues.
 
We then skip several verses as Peter begins to develop the story line of Jesus and the miracles He had performed in front of the people, many having witnesses it themselves. He reminds them that everything that had happened was part of God’s plan.
 
Peter then recalls the words of King David from Psalm 16 where he says that the Lord will not abandon his soul to the netherworld, that is death, nor will your holy one to suffer corruption, again death.
 
Peter uses the ancient, but well accepted Jewish method of interpretation called midrash, that takes the original meaning of a text and uses it to explain events that later generations can use. He addresses the Jews and makes it more relevant and understanding for them as they seek to understand the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Peter constantly draws them into the experience and reminds them of what they have seen and heard for themselves.
 
In his letter, Peter does much of the same thing as we heard in ACTS. He consistently draws the reader in while he reminds them of how they are to show reverence to the Father, even while they themselves are being persecuted.
 
He addresses them as ones who are on a journey, not living at home, but living in some foreign lands. He reminds them of their true home, that while they are suffering as Jesus did, they share in His glory.
 
The gospel we hear on this 3 ^rd Sunday of Easter is the same gospel if there had been a mass on Easter afternoon. It is the Emmaus story of two disciples leaving Jerusalem and going to the small town not far away.  As they are talking about the events that had happened, a stranger asks of them what was going on.
 
They proceed to tell the stranger of the events that had taken place that week in Jerusalem. They had been hoping that Jesus was going to be the Messiah they had been longing for, the one to lead them out of the slavery from Roman rule.
 
This stranger is Jesus, but they are prevented from seeing Jesus as He walks along with them, explaining all of the scriptures about the Messiah, starting with Moses and the prophets.
 
When they reach Emmaus, Jesus intends to go on, but they ask Him to stay with them for the evening. It is when they sit down to break bread that they are able to recognize Jesus right before he disappears from their midst.
 
It is yet another sighting of Jesus that they can not wait for another day to go back and tell the rest of the disciples. They immediately get up and return to Jerusalem to tell the others what have seen and heard.
 
I often ask myself, how can they not believe, why does it take such dramatic stories of His presence with them behind locked doors, in upper rooms, on the road out of town, breaking bread before they recognize that it is the risen Jesus among them?
 
We have the luxury of 2,000 years of retelling the stories again and again for us to believe. They have only just hours to begin to understand. So, it will take many appearances of Jesus to take place, to continue to teach them and impart on them the knowledge and to cover them with the Holy Spirit so that they have an understanding and can go forth to proclaim the good news.
 
That is our continued call today, to teach as Jesus did and proclaim Him as Lord and Master in our lives.