2026 Cycle A - 3rd Sunday of Easter

Readings

3rd Sunday of Easter

Acts 2:14, 22-33; Ps 16:1-2a, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11; 1 Pet 1:17-21; Luke 24:13-35

Homily Theme

Recognition

This Sunday, the Universal Church is still in the Easter mode as she continues to recognize the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, so the scriptures are all about the resurrection, when we recognize the Risen Christ as true Christians should if we are true believers.

In the opening prayer we recognize we are also sons and daughters of God who will also experience death. In the first reading from the acts, Peter, the first Pope, gives witness to the Jews so that they too might recognize Christ’s Resurrection. His witness at Pentecost was so successful that hundreds were baptized because they did recognize the truth of Peter’s bold preaching believing that Jesus was truly the Son of God., when Peter told them, “God has raised Jesus and we are all His witnesses.” In the Second reading, Peter again speaks to the Jews, and to us, so that we might have faith in Jesus who was known before the foundation of the world. Let us all recognize Him today as the true Son of God, second Person of the Holy Trinity.

In the Gospel account today, we meet the disciples on the road to Emmaus whose eyes are prevented from recognizing Him. Jesus then teaches them the meaning of the scriptures that refer to Him, beginning with Moses and all the prophets: but still their eyes are not opened. It was not until He stayed to dine with them, but disappeared after He broke the bread, that their eyes were opened and they recognized Him in the Breaking of the Bread. This is what the Early Christians called the Eucharist before it was called the Holy Mass. There are still some who are prevented from recognizing Him when His priests, the successors to the apostles, continue to make Him present at every Mass today. Are our Hearts glowing inside of us as we hear the words of the Liturgy? Jesus still continues to speak to us there at each Mass also. Will He speak to you today as you listen to the Readings? Will you recognize His presence in the breaking of the Bread at Mass today?

As we attend each Holy Mass and receive the most Holy consecrated bread and wine do we truly recognize a real presence of God as we eat and drink the sacred species of our God under such a form. The original disciples also had a problem recognizing the risen Jesus as the Lord that they had followed for so long before his death on the cross. He hid himself from their eyes as he does for us today at Holy Mass. Let us realize it is our Divine Lord and Savior who comes to us in Holy Communion. Show it as you receive him this Sunday and every time you receive Him so that others will recognize Him also.