Third Sunday of Easter. Year A - Sunday, April 23, 2023 (EPISODE- 417)

Third Sunday of Easter. Year A - Sunday, April 23, 2023 (EPISODE- 417)

Readings for Sunday, April 23, 2023 - Third Sunday of Easter. Year A
FIRST READING: Acts 2:14, 22-33 (diff)
Ps 16:1-2a+5, 7-8, 9-10, 11. "Lord, you will show us the path of life."
SECOND READING: 1 Pet 1:17-21
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (cf. Luke 24:32). Alleluia, alleluia! Lord Jesus, make your word plain to us. Make our hearts burn with love when you speak.
GOSPEL: Luke 24:13-35

Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 1585608064 - Ramla, Israel, December 07, 2019: Religious icon on the territory of the ruins of the Byzantine church complex on the territory of Emmaus Nicopolis. Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Dmitriy Feldman svarshik
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Please listen to the audio recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers, and homily), for Third Sunday of Easter. Year A - Sunday, April 23, 2023, by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-3a-third-sunday-of-easter-a-ep-417  (EPISODE- 417)
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The Gospel this weekend is really wonderful. It has such a richness to it… and many levels of meaning….

The journey of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, is also like a symbol of what happens each time we gather as disciples of Jesus at Eucharist….  when we listen to the word of God in the scriptures, and Christ opens our minds to his word.   And when Christ breaks the bread for us and becomes present to us, in this special way ….. and we too recognize Jesus in the breaking of the bread……. 

 

Another very special thing about this Emmaus journey is the fact that the disciples are talking to a fellow traveller along the road… and show hospitality to this person…. unknown to them this person is Jesus himself…..        it is no coincidence that Jesus becomes present to them in the outsider to whom they show hospitality … and with whom they break bread together…  then their eyes are opened and they recognise Jesus……  if they had not showed hospitality to this person if they had let him go on… they may never have know who they were walking with… and what he had to offer them…..              Jesus told us …  what you do to the least of my brothers and sisters… you do it to ME……            love God, love your neighbour as you love yourself……            so hospitality, community and service are completely interconnected in Jesus' kingdom….

 

Today's gospel reminds us that Jesus is always with us…  always there to encourage us and give us new hope…  he gives his disciples the sacraments to strengthen them on our journey.  Jesus also gives his disciples the power to experience the forgiveness and mercy of God through reconciliation…  which assures us of God's love and care and healing.

 

Our Lord walks along with us on our life journey… he is always interested to hear us tell him of our hopes, our fears… our disappointments and our failures… and he is there to reassure us and give us strength and assure us that if we keep trusting in him, the love of God has the final word in our life….    and it lasts forever…..

 

whenever we gather at Mass, we come together as disciples and friends of Jesus, and we break the bread and drink from the cup….and we believe that this is not just a sign of our connection to Jesus, that God forgives us, renews us and commissions us… we believe that Jesus comes to us in what looks like bread and wine and Jesus comes into our hearts and we become more and more part of Jesus' life…. and go out into our daily lives to live his commandments to show love and care for each other…  this is the unique message of the journey to Emmaus…and when we listen to the scriptures and reflect on the many ways in which Jesus is present and active in our lives, inviting us to listen to him and follow his ways……..we too can say to each other… "did not our hearts burn as Jesus talked to us along the way, and explained the scriptures to us. "

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References:

References: Fr Paul W. Kelly

 

Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 1585608064 - Ramla, Israel, December 07, 2019: Religious icon on the territory of the ruins of the Byzantine church complex on the territory of Emmaus Nicopolis. Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Dmitriy Feldman svarshik

Third Sunday of Easter. Year A  (Sunday, April 23, 2023) (EPISODE- 417)

The Lord be with you.
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{{I pray this week brings you an ever deeper expereience of his compassion and love.}}

Brothers and sisters, the Lord is full of love and mercy. And so, as we prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries, let us acknowledge our sins.
Lord Jesus, you have revealed yourself as the way to the Father: Lord, have mercy//You have poured out on your people the Spirit of truth: Christ, have mercy//You are the Good Shepherd, leading us to eternal life: Lord, have mercy.//
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.  Amen.
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Ps 16:1-2a+5, 7-8, 9-10, 11. "Lord, you will show us the path of life."

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (cf. Luke 24:32). Alleluia, alleluia! Lord Jesus, make your word plain to us. Make our hearts burn with love when you speak.
Memorial Acclamation
1. We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
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PREFACE: Preface II of Easter
EUCH PRAYER II

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{I pray this week brings you an ever deeper expereience of his compassion and love.}

Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.

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Archive of homilies and reflections:  http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email:  paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here:  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address:       Subscribe to mailing list to keep up-to-date

Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection"  - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers and chants  — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989,  and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)

"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009,  The Grail - Collins publishers.

Prayers of the Faithful -   " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'.   E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993) . (Sydney Australia).

Sung "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" -  By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria,  Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.

- "Today I Arise" - For Trisha J Kelly.  Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly. Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer.  Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

 "Quiet Time."  Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.

Sound Engineering and editing -  P.W. Kelly.

Microphones: -      Shure MV5 Digital Condenser (USB)

Editing equipment:    NCH software - MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software
NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 12.44

Sound Processing:  iZotope RX 6 Audio Editor

[Production -  KER -  2023]
May God bless and keep you.
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