Sunday Sermon 4.23.23
LATIN MASS: SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EASTER
EPISTLE: 1 Peter 2:21 For unto this are you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example that you should follow His steps. 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth. 23 Who, when He was reviled, did not revile: when He suffered, He threatened not: but delivered Himself to him that judged Him unjustly. 24 Who His own self bore our sins in His Body upon the tree: that we, being dead to sins, should live to justice: by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were as sheep going astray; but you are now converted to the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
Christ has given us an example of how we should live our lives. We also have as examples all the lives of the saints. If we wish to spend eternity with Christ, we must obey Him. We must pick up our crosses daily and walk the narrow path. This isn’t optional. If you love Him, keep His commands. You cannot be one of His sheep if you will not obey the Shepherd.
GOSPEL: John 10:11 I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd giveth His life for His sheep. 12 But the hireling, and he that is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and flieth: and the wolf catcheth, and scattereth the sheep: 13 And the hireling flieth, because he is a hireling: and he hath no care for the sheep. 14 I am the Good Shepherd; and I know mine, and mine know Me. 15 As the Father knoweth Me, and I know the Father: and I lay down My life for My sheep. 16 And other sheep I have, that are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one fold and one Shepherd.
Unlike the Old Covenant, which was with one nation, the Israelites, the New Covenant has been expanded and offered to all people. Christ invites everyone to come to Him and join in the New Covenant that He offers. This New Covenant is the Mass and the Eucharist. This Covenant has requirements for us to uphold. We must avoid sin and obey God. If we do this and faithfully participate in the New Covenant, Christ has promised to raise us up on the last day and to be with Him in eternity.
NOVUS ORDO: THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER
FIRST READING: Acts 2:14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say.
22 “You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through Him among you, as you yourselves know— 23 this Man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the Law. 24 But God raised Him up, having freed Him from death, because it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. 25 For David says concerning Him, ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for He is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will live in hope. 27 For You will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let Your Holy One experience corruption. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of gladness with Your Presence.’ 29 “Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that He would put one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying, ‘He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did His Flesh experience corruption.’ 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this that you both see and hear.
The chief priests and elders of the Jews couldn’t even have the moral courage to commit their ultimate sin on their own. They instead turned over the Messiah to those who were not even part of the Old Covenant (Law), the Romans. Instead of an execution method proscribed in the Old Covenant, they bent the knee to the Romans and asked for them to execute the Messiah for them.
There were two special trees in the Garden of Eden, right in the middle of the Garden were the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God only forbid Adam and Eve from eating from the second tree. They were free to eat from the Tree of Life. After they committed the Original Sin, mankind was evicted from the Garden of Eden and could not eat from the Tree of Life.
On the Cross, which is the new Tree of Life, Christ offers Himself to the Father and to us to partake of Him. We are offered the infinite and eternal life in Him by receiving the Eucharist. Once again, mankind must obey God to be able to eat the fruit from the Tree of Life, which is the Eucharist. Make sure your soul is clean and free from sin before you attempt to eat from the Tree of Life.
NEW TESTAMENT: 1 Peter 1:17 If you invoke as Father the One who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. 18 You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but with the precious Blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. 20 He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. 21 Through Him you have come to trust in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God.
God the Father judges all people according to their deeds. He judges ALL people according to their deeds. Faith alone is a lie. It is a lie from the pit of hell. Faith alone is explicitly condemned by Scripture. We must also obey God and we must produce the good works that He expects from us. We were not given His grace and talents so that we can bury and hide our talents. We were given His grace so that we could produce 10x, 20x or even a hundredfold more good fruit. Each good work you perform in God’s grace here on earth becomes an imperishable jewel in Heaven. Store up treasure there and not here on earth.
GOSPEL: Luke 24:13 Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself came near and went with them, 16 but their eyes were kept from recognizing Him. 17 And He said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” 19 He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed Him over to be condemned to death and crucified Him. 21 But we had hoped that He was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. 22 Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23 and when they did not find His Body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see Him.” 25 Then He said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! 26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into His glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He interpreted to them the things about Himself in all the Scriptures.
28 As they came near the village to which they were going, He walked ahead as if He were going on. 29 But they urged Him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So He went in to stay with them. 30 When He was at the table with them, He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was talking to us on the road, while He was opening the Scriptures to us?” 33 That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the Eleven and their companions gathered together. 34 They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and He has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how He had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Notice the name of one of the disciples. Some believe that Cleopas is also Clopas, who was the husband of Mary that is mentioned in the Gospels and is even seen at the Crucifixion. She is the sister of the Blessed Virgin Mary. (Yes, two sisters are both named Mary.) They are the parents of the “brothers” of Jesus who are named in the Gospels (they are His cousins). This makes Clopas the uncle of Our Lord. Even he, who knew Jesus for most of His life, did not recognize Him. But why?
Well obviously Christ kept Himself hidden from them, but for a purpose and also a teaching moment in more ways that one. Look at the story again. This is happening on the day of the Resurrection! They KNOW what has happened and they are STILL leaving Jerusalem. Why?!?! The Gospel does not tell us why they are heading there, but we know they should have stayed in Jerusalem to await instructions from Our Lord or the Apostles. They were leaving Jesus, so perhaps that is one reason why Jesus hid Himself from them for a time.
And notice another thing. They finally recognized Our Lord when He gave them the Eucharist, His Body. Look at the detailed description given. It doesn’t say that Christ just served them some bread. It lays out in detail the SAME order of the Last Supper. Our Lord took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and then gave it to them. This is the same order we see in all four accounts of the Last Supper (Luke 22, Matthew 26, Mark 14 & 1 Cor 11). This isn’t a coincidence or accident. This is intentional.
Christ gave them the Eucharist and only then did they recognize Him. Do you recognize Christ in the Eucharist? Do you see Him instead of bread? Do you recognize exactly WHOM you are receiving into you body?