Year A
Discover the deeper meaning and connections found in this week's readings, through these great commentaries written by our priests.
Explore this week's readings and hear what God is saying to us through His Word.
Find out more about how we can mark this special day in our liturgy.
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One of the main themes in today’s readings is the following: “Christ, our way to the Father.” We are all on a journey in this world, a journey which transcends mortal ends. This journey leads us to eternal life with God, who has no favourites (Cf. 2nd Reading). Thus, everyone can chose to move towards Him and be in His presence.
Our journey to heaven can rightly be said to be a pilgrimage – a holy walk to a place of religious significance (Cf. CCC 2691).
This journey can be characterised by all sorts of challenges, confusion, and frustration as was the case with the two disciples in the gospel.
In the midst of such challenges, it is possible to lose focus and courage.
An important point to note is that we are not alone on this journey.
Just as Jesus joins the two disciples who were making a journey to Emmaus in a state of shock, frustration and sadness (Cf. Gospel), so too He stays close to us as we journey on in this life.
The journey Jesus makes with two disciples goes beyond a mere physical journey. He helps them to make a journey of faith, moving from the point of doubt, sorrow, despair to the point of faith, joy, and determination.
We then see the two disciples return to Jerusalem with a new spirit and enthusiasm to share their experience and their faith in the resurrection.
Just as the psalmist prays (Cf. Psalm), Jesus did show these two disciples the way. They were lost in confusion, fear and sorrow, but Jesus brought them back unto the path of life and they were ready to forge ahead on that path.
Thanks to their testimony, the faith of the apostles was strengthened. It is this faith that Peter pronounces when he talks about the resurrection of Jesus (Cf. 1st Reading).
In Peter’s pronouncement, he makes reference to the words of David, who had spoken about Jesus as the revealer of the way to the Father (Cf. 1st Reading).
Jesus does not merely show the way to the Father, but He is the Way.
May we not lose our focus on Jesus as we carry on with our journey in this world, in hope that we shall rise with Him to meet God in heaven (Cf. Collect).
It is recommended on the Sundays in Eastertide that the Penitential Rite be replaced by the Sprinkling with water preferably from the Font. The Mass could begin with the priest at the Font and, after the greeting, the priest could introduce the sprinkling with the reminder that during Eastertide we celebrate our Baptism since at our Baptism we died and rose with Christ and so, as the people are being sprinkled they could ask forgiveness for their faults and failings and that they may rise daily to the new life of the resurrection. The procession could then move to the altar with the priest sprinkling the people on the way while they sing the entry chat or hymn.
The reading from the Acts could be introduced with a reminder that the preaching of the Apostles after Pentecost was focussed on the resurrection.
The reading from the First letter of Peter again focusses on the risen Christ who is the source of our faith in God.
The Gospel reading speaks for itself but might be alluded to before the silence after communion that Christ has made himself known to the assembled church again in the Breaking of the Bread. Perhaps a time to ask ourselves whether we ought to be using bread that looks like bread and not plastic and that can be broken into many pieces?
Do you have questions about the liturgy and how we are called to participate in it? Explore how the Church councils, saints, and popes have answered this key question and many more.
Every movement of the Mass is rich in meaning but we can become over-familiar with it. Rediscover the Mass and explore how it relates to the Exodus story, where many of its rituals come from, and how it makes Jesus present to us today.
