The Third Sunday of Easter - May 4, 2025 (Year C)

Can light ever truly be contained?  Short of sealing a box and burying it, light will find a way to penetrate the darkest room or deepest corner of the world.  And like that light, the Truth of Jesus could not be contained despite all the efforts made by the Sanhedrin in today's First Reading.  We get an interesting look at the early disciples facing adversity for speaking what they knew to be true: that God sent Jesus to be our Savior and Jesus was crucified for it and then risen from the dead.  At the end of the passage, it is noted that they are happy to have been reprimanded for the sake of the Lord, which is foretelling of the many future struggles and persecution these early followers of Jesus will endure.  

As I mentioned last week, the Book of Revelation is full of meaning buried within its divine lines, and yet I can but scratch the surface of it.  And with this, I want to stick to the idea of Jesus as the Light of the World.  As John describes the amazing event he is witness to, as all creation in all forms gives glory to the Lamb, Jesus.  This time after Easter is great for re-orienting our world, allowing ourselves to to guided by that Light, by the Love of God through Jesus.

So, how best to do it?  We can jump in excitedly like Peter from the Gospel, throwing caution to the wind and rushing to be with our Lord.  Or we can be like the disciples and come in on the boat, following in the way of Peter, for it wasn't Peter but John who recognized Jesus.  There is no wrong path when you coming to the follow the way of Jesus.  Think of Peter, the one who rushed forward to greet his Lord - as they sit sharing a meal with Jesus, Peter is asked three times if he Loves Jesus.  I view his affirmation each time as the un-doing of his three denials during the Passion.  And if even Peter struggled, we should have no qualms about whatever turns and twists our paths take.  Be open to God and Jesus, and their Love will find a way to shine into your Life, making you a beacon for others.

Disclaimer: This will be at the bottom of all reflections, but I’m not intending to put out any sort of professional critique, attempt at a homily, or investigation into the historicity of the readings, but will “let the Spirit move me” as some say, to share what has spoken to me in my reading and reflection on the set of Readings for each week.  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Book Review: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

  The Screwtape Letters  by C.S. Lewis “When He talks of their losing their selves, He means only abandoning the clamour of self-will; once they have done that, He really gives them back all their personality, and boasts (I am afraid, sincerely) that when they are wholly His they will be more themselves than ever.” Summary : Here's a brief overview for those unfamiliar with the book.  The book is written as a series of letters from an uncle and senior devil, Screwtape, to his junior tempter, Wormwood, who is a demon attached to a man in England, set in the time around World War II.  There are thirty one letters in the book, each exploring facets of the human existence and interactions with the world surrounding him.   C.S. Lewis so delicately dives into the smallest nuances of everyday life and has Screwtape show how these little strands can be pulled and exploited into longer lasting effects.  I find it hard to read through these letters without seein...
Read more

Book Review: The 2% Way by Dr. Myron L. Rolle, MD MSc

The 2% Way by Dr. Myron L. Rolle, MD MSc “Let your actions be driven by your expectations for yourself, not external forces” Summary : First, let me say that this book will make you feel that you have underachieved, no matter how much you’ve accomplished.   Dr. Rolle is a former No.1 football recruit who played at the highest level collegiately, graduated early, passed on the NFL draft the first time as he accepted a Rhodes Scholarship, then was drafted in the NFL, bounced around teams for a few years, went to medical school, and became a neurosurgeon.   Needless to say, he has quite an interesting perspective on what it takes to achieve lofty goals.   Dr. Rolle focuses on small incremental improvements every day to get 2% better.   While the terminology of “getting 2% better” was introduced to him in college by one of his coaches, this method was already ingrained in him as he had been achieving his own lofty goals and practicing a high level of self-restra...
Read more