Homily for 3rd Sunday of Easter - 23rd April 2023

Homily for 3rd Sunday after Easter

23rd April 2023

This week I happened to be in England with my mum for our 85th birthday and we went to Yardley Hastings so that she could have a meal in the Rose and Crown where she used to work in. This gave me the opportunity to go around the village and do some filming. So the footage you're seeing today is of Yardley, Hastings and Andrew's Church, where I talked about my journey last week.

This week we are looking at how often we are sometimes oblivious to the way that Jesus is always with us, even when we think He's not. Each of us is on a journey from birth to death. Along the way, we accumulate knowledge of the world around us. Initially, through the interactions of our parents, whether natural or fostered, whether through the social systems imposed on us or to which we choose ourselves.

Quite often we struggle to make sense of the world because of the confusion that muddies the waters and can lead us to a false sense of what treasures are that clouds our minds and draws us towards sin. We can feel helpless and a spirit can be brought low, as was seen by the two. Walking from Jerusalem to a mass, how often do we find a stranger who listens to our woes and allows us to confess What is in our heart, allows us to share our burdens, and in doing so helps to ease our pain.

Jesus did not force himself upon Cleopas and his companion, possibly his wife. He simply explained to them what the Scriptures had said about how the Chosen One would become the sacrificial lamb, the same as the blood of the lamb that was used to paint the doorposts of the Israelites. So the spirit of death would pass over when the first bones of the Egyptians were taken because of their sinfulness.

The LAMB of God would become the only acceptable sacrifice given once and for all. Jesus made such an impression on Clippers. He was compelled to invite the stranger to share their evening meal. It was only at the breaking of bread. Jesus was fully revealed to them. They understood and returned to Jerusalem to share with the other disciples the revelation of our Lord.

In the first reading, Peter announces to those gathered why they were seeing miracles, especially the gift of tongues. For many had witnessed those filled with the Holy Spirit talking in languages they had not known before. Galilean talked in Greek, Egyptian, Latin, Aramaic and different Asian languages. We know this because Luke mentions the various people visiting Jerusalem at that time who understood the Galileans talking in their own language.

In our own lives, we all face hardships and often struggle to cope. We can often feel as though we are alone, as our emotions play up, blinding us from what is around us. Some find it hard to believe when they look back on their own lives. The journey that the footprints they see are not their own, but our Lord Jesus Christ's, when he is carrying us in his arms like the man in the poem Footprints in the Sand.

Like Cleapas, we need to be prepared to listen to the stranger who reveals our blind spots and shows us hidden meanings in our lives. The more we learn to use the power of prayer, the more Jesus will be revealed to us. We often think that we have to do everything on our own, but the Lord offers us on a daily basis to take our burdens from us.

We only have to accept his help as he will not impose it upon us and enables us to make the choice. But when he does his only too willing to be there for us in the name of God, allowed himself to be the sacrifice so that his life-giving blood could wash away our sins, leaving us pure to be acceptable to God.

Our Father. The Holy Spirit, in turn, will give us the gifts so that we can work towards bringing His gospel to others so their burdens can be lightened. If you enjoy these homilies that I put up every week, please like and share them with others so that others may be inspired by them as well. And thank you for watching.