3rd Sunday of Easter year B

Amidst the vaccine myths, fear, and uncertainty, and still confused and doubtful because of all that is going on in our world, our Easter journey has come to the third week. Nonetheless, the joy of Easter cannot be dimmed and with confident hope this week the readings allow us to consider our sinfulness, doubts, and weakness.

            A young boy called out his mother and said, “Mom, something exists.” The mother replied and asked, “What exists?” The boy answered, “Something”. While the mother thought that her boy was just playing tricks on her, she said to him, “Whatever exists, must be seen, and if not, it doesn’t exist.” Her boy replied, “It’s choice.”

            As we live our lives trying to make good choices every day, we sometimes make choices that bring doubts, confusion, and questioning. Wrong choices make sin exist and even though we may not see sin itself, the effects of it on us and our world can be seen. Today’s readings are inviting us to repent. In the first reading, Peter is gentle with those who killed the “Prince of life” and invites them to repent their choice. St. John in the second reading is helping us to consider love and truth, over lie and sin.

            And the Gospel brings us to the reality that when we are troubled and question our choices, the risen Lord continues to ask us similarly as he did to his disciples, “Why are you troubled? Why do questionings arise in your hearts?” He then reassures us of his gift of peace and opens our minds and hearts to understand his teachings. Let us join the Psalmist in his prayer that the Lord continues to lift up the light of his face on us and make us happy and peaceful.

“Peace to you”