Sunday:       3 RD SUNDAY OF EASTER
Date:         April 18, 1999
Year:         A
The readings: [Acts 2:14, 22-28; 1 Pet. 1:17-21; Lk. 24:13-35]
The message:  THE HEART BURNS WITHIN IN THE PRESENCE OF JESUS.
Prepared by:  CATHOLIC DOORS MINISTRY
Total words:  680

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My brothers and sisters in Christ, how are you surviving in your exile? [1 Pet. 1:17] How is your spiritual life progressing today? Are you experiencing Christian growth? Yes indeed, you are in exile because you no longer belong to this world. While you are in this world, you are not of this world. You have been called from the futile ways of this world to become children of God, having been ransomed by the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ.

Through the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus, you have found your Christian hope. Remaining firm in your faith, your heart is glad while your tongue rejoices. So your gladness may be full in His presence, you know that the Lord will not abandon your soul to Hades, He who has made known to you the ways of life.

While you are living your few years in exile in this temporary world, physically separated from the Lord Jesus and His Kingdom that awaits those who persevere in their faith, live in reverent fear of the Lord God. Seek the Lord Jesus. Obey His commandments. Be active in His Church. Receive the Sacraments of the Church. In all things, have a sincere love that will please the Lord so your love may be made perfect in Him. Consequently, you will be assured that He who judges all people impartially according to their deeds will pronounce a favourable judgment upon you.

In your worldly pilgrimage towards Heaven, strive to learn all what you can about the teachings of Jesus so you can apply them to your life. In spiritual growth, your relationship with the Lord Jesus will flourish during which time your heart will burn within (in your spirit). Do not be slow at heart to believe as some do, rejecting the Spirit of truth. Be not like Thomas who did not believe until he had seen Jesus for himself. Jesus said, "Blessed are those who believe without having seen."

Be reminded that you have not been left alone. While Jesus is not physically present to verbally speak to you as He spoke to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, His Spirit dwells within you, whispering in your heart the necessary words that guide you in all truths.

The Spirit of Jesus is One with Jesus for there is One God. As Jesus spoke to the disciples, the Spirit of Jesus speaks to you in your hearts. You all know where you stand before the Lord. You know if the Spirit of Jesus is convicting you of sin. You know what actions of yours please the Lord. All these things are known by you because the Spirit of Jesus is guiding you so Christ may one day present you to the Heavenly Father as a brilliant spirit, brighter than the stars in the sky.

When you walk with the Spirit of Jesus, you find peace and joy in your heart. You experience the burning within, it being like a magnet that draws you towards the Lord Jesus. You are reminded of what it feels like to be away from Jesus for awhile. Your heart tells you that you have to get closer to the Lord again, day after day.

It is the Spirit of Jesus who reminds your heart of the need to come to the Lord in prayer, in praise, in humility, in Christian love, in thanksgiving, in worship, in the Sacraments or in fellowship. What a great Spirit He is to remind the heart of all these things that pleases the Lord God.

My brothers and sisters, this week, take the time to listen to what the Holy Spirit is telling your heart. Take the time to obey His advise so your love may grow in Jesus. Take the time to enjoy the burning within so the Lord Jesus may draw you even more to Him so you may serve your purpose in life. As you grow in the Lord, you will see how the Word of God that is found in the Holy Bible will open itself to you as you have never experienced it before.

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The readings...

[The readings were taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (C) 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the United States of America.]

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First Reading...

"On the day of Pentecost, Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd. "People of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I 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 - 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. But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. 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; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will live in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One experience corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.'" [Acts 2:14, 22-8]

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Second Reading...

"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. You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. Christ was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. 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." [1 Pet. 1:17-21]

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Gospel Reading...

"On the first day of the week, two of the disciples were going to a village called Emmaus, about eleven kilometres from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And Jesus said to them, "What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?" They stood still, looking sad. 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?" Jesus 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, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 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. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 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 Jesus was alive. 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 Jesus." Then Jesus said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?" Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, Jesus interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. As they came near the village to which they were going, Jesus walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, "Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over." So Jesus went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized jesus; and he vanished form their sight. The two disciples 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?" That same hour they go up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. These were saying, "The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!" Then the two disciples told what had happened on the road, and how the Lord had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread." [Lk. 24:13-35]

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