Gospel Reading for the 3rd Sunday of Easter: Year B
Luke 24: 36 to 48
“Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures” (Luke 24:45)
On this last night with his followers, our Lord Jesus did at least a couple of amazing things, in this Gospel according to Luke. The resurrected Jesus ate food. For me, this means he was not just spirit, a real body needs food. What does this mean for us?
Just as informative, and perhaps more important, while Jesus received food, he opened their minds to clear understanding of scripture. A real spirit needs understanding.
I am not preaching today; but if I were, I would preach on this wonderful exchange of last Resurrection Day gifts wherein we, not Jesus, were the recipients and benefiters of the greater part. While Jesus gets something to eat, we get the knowledge of knowing that we will have real bodies in our resurrection, and we receive the uncluttered understanding of God’s love for us without the human bias in the Old and New Testaments. It’s a Win – Win for us. Thank You Lord Jesus.
Let us pray:
Oh Lord Jesus, the giver of all true understanding, we of today, also have clouded minds as we read and listen to scripture. We are troubled by our own biases and some of the ulterior motives of the scriptural writers themselves. But we believe scripture contains all that is necessary for salvation, while at the same time, knowing that not everything in it is necessary for salvation. Dear Lord Jesus open our minds also that we too will understand the scriptures more fully and are better enabled to say and do those things that are pleasing in your sight. Amen.
Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools including St. Augustine in Raleigh, North Carolina.
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 