The Better Part

Luke 24.13-35 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection The feast continues! We celebrate the feast of Jesus dying and rising to new life, never to die again, for seven Sundays! On this third Sunday of Easter, the Gospel again takes place in the afternoon of the very day that Jesus rises from the dead, full of the new life of God. Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these thi

Luke 24.13-35 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection The Gospel for this Sunday again takes place on the day that Jesus rises from the dead, full of the new life of God. This moment in Jesus' life, his birth into the Risen life of God, is so important that the Church returns again and again to the events of that day. This reading takes place in the afternoon of that day. Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and

Luke 24.13-35 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection On this third Sunday of Easter, we hear an account of people meeting Jesus raised from the dead. It occurs on the afternoon of the Resurrection, after the women who find the tomb empty proclaim that Jesus is Risen. Only St. Luke records this event. Take a moment to read or listen to the Word of God. Then we can think about what St. Luke might want us to understand. What happens in this account? Two disciples leave Jerusalem

John 20:19- 22    (full reading John 20:19-31) Listen to the Gospel and Reflection We know that early in the morning, after Jesus rises from the dead, Mary Magdalene sees Jesus in the garden. He calls her by name and then she knows—Jesus is Risen to new life, never to die again. Jesus tells her to go and tell the disciples, so she does. The Gospel reading for this  Sunday begins in the evening of that very same day that Jesus rises from the dead never to die again. When it wa

John 20:19- 23 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection The Gospel for this Sunday actually begins on the evening of the day that Jesus rises from the dead, so full of the Risen Life that he can never die again. Although Mary Magdalene knows that Jesus is Risen and told the disciples, they hide in a house with all the doors locked. Fear fills them. Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘ Peace  be with you.’   After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the

John 20:19-31 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection The Gospel reading for this second Sunday of Easter has two parts. It begins on the first Easter Sunday, the evening of the day that Jesus rises from the dead, and continues exactly one week later, on the second Sunday of the first Easter. St. John dictating the Gospel, looking over his shoulder for inspiration from the Holy Spirit St. John begins the reading with, When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week We

John 20:1-18 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection We know that Jesus died on the cross and now he is Risen to new life, never to die again. We have known this for a long time. In fact, we have always known it, have we not? In the Gospel for Easter Sunday—the first Sunday of the Easter season—we hear about the first person to know that Jesus is Risen. Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb It is Sunday, the first day of t

John 20:1-18 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection We know that when Jesus is born, a new moment begins in the History of the Kingdom of God. Never before this, throughout all of creation, throughout all the universe and its many wonders, has God become human. Never before has the Creator become one of the Created. This is brand new. And throughout his life on earth, Jesus does many things that have never been done before. But it is the moment after he dies and is buried—the

John 20:1-18 Listen to the Gospel and Reflection For many of us, this is a favourite Gospel passage. However, the closer we look at it, the more confusing it becomes. Everyone seems to see and yet not see . The reading begins, Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark... Already we know that without light, seeing is difficult. Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran... We do not know if she sees th