Readings:
Acts 3:13–15, 17–19
Psalm 4:2, 4, 7–9
1 John 2:1–5
Luke 24:35–48
Jesus in today’s Gospel teaches His apostles how to interpret the Scriptures.
He tells them that all the Scriptures of what we now call the Old Testament refer to Him. He says that all the promises found in the Old Testament have been fulfilled in His Passion, death, and Resurrection. And He tells them that these Scriptures foretell the mission of the Church—to preach forgiveness of sins to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
In today’s First Reading and Epistle, we see the beginnings of that mission. And we see the apostles interpreting the Scriptures as Jesus taught them to.
God has brought to fulfillment what He announced beforehand in all the prophets, Peter preaches. His sermon is shot through with Old Testament images. He evokes Moses and the Exodus, in which
God revealed himself as the ancestral God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (see Exodus 3:6, 15). He identifies Jesus as Isaiah’s suffering servant who has been glorified (see Isaiah 52:13).
John, too, describes Jesus in Old Testament terms. Alluding to how Israel’s priests offered blood sacrifices to atone for the people’s sins (see Leviticus 16; Hebrews 9–10), he says that Jesus intercedes for us before God (see Romans 8:34), and that His blood is a sacrificial expiation for the sins of the world (see 1 John 1:7).
Notice that in all three readings, the Scriptures are interpreted to serve and advance the Church’s mission—to reveal the truth about Jesus, to bring people to repentance, the wiping away of sins, and the perfection of their love for God.
This is how we, too, should hear the Scriptures. Not to know more “about” Jesus, but to truly know Him personally, and to know His plan for our lives.
In the Scriptures, the light of His face shines upon us, as we sing in today’s Psalm. We know the wonders He has done throughout history. And we have the confidence to call to Him, and to know that He hears and answers.
An Attitude of Thanksgiving - Wednesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
How to Achieve True Greatness - Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
The Mystery of the Motherhood of Mary - The Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church
When Were the Gospels Written? - Saturday of the Seventh Week of Easter
The Undoing of Peter's Denial - Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter
How God Uses Everything - Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter
Staying Drenched In the Word of God - Wednesday of the Seventh Week of Easter
Evidence of the Priesthood - Feast of St. Matthias
How to receive the Holy Spirit - Monday of the Seventh Week of Easter
Overcoming Discouragement - Saturday of the Sixth Week of Easter
How to Unite Your Will to the Father's - Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter
The Great Mystery of The Ascension - Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter (Ascension Thursday)
How Conversion Begins - Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
The Rhythm of Salvation History - Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
How Much Suffering are we willing to face? - Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter
The Meaning of the Cosmos - Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter
Understanding the Father's Nature - The Feast of Saints Philip and James
The Golden Age of Doctrine - The Memorial of St. Athanasius
The Unity of the Church - Wednesday of The Fifth Week of Easter
How Christ Destroys Death - Tuesday of The Fifth Week of Easter
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