Homily for the Third Sunday of Easter
Based on Lk. 24:35-48 (Gospel); Ac
3:13-15, 17-19 (1st Reading); 1 Jn 2:1-5a (2nd Reading)
From the Series of “Reflections and Teachings of the Desert”
FORGIVENESS OF SINS
The six Sundays of Easter are
dedicated to the mystagogical instructions of the neophyte Christians of the
early church who were baptized during the Holy Saturday’s Paschal Vigil. Hence, the scripture readings for the
Eucharistic celebrations for these six Sundays of Easter are concerned with the
new life that these neophytes have received.
“Forgiveness of sins” is our theme
for this homily because this is the common thought of the three readings for
this Third Sunday of Easter (Cycle B).
In the Gospel, we find “forgiveness
of sins” in verses 46 and 47, that says:
“And he said to them, ‘So
you see how it is written how the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise
from the dead, and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins
would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”
The parallel text of these verses is:
Ac 2:38 - ‘You must repent,’w Peter answered
‘and everyone of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ x
for the forgiveness of your sins, and
you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’ This text (Ac 2:38) mentions the
Spirit as received in baptism and as the
principle in forgiving sins.
The First Reading for this Sunday, Ac 3:13-15, 17-19, also mentions ‘forgiveness
of sins’ in verse 19 that says:
“Now you must
repent and turn to God,l so that your sins may be wiped out.”
The parallel text of this verse is
also Acts 2:38 already mentioned above.
The Second Reading for today, 1 Jn
2:1-5a, also mentions ‘forgiveness of sins’ in verse 1 which says: “I am writing to you, my children, to stop
you sinning, but if anyone should sin, we have our
advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ who is just”.
This text is very important
reminder for the neophytes because it assures them that in case they fall into
committing sins after having been baptized as Christians, they can receive
forgiveness of sins again because of the Spirit who is the advocate being
mentioned in this verse.
One of the parallel texts of this
verse is the following:
1 Jn 3:6 - Anyone who lives in God does not sin.d
and anyone who sins has never seen him or known him.
Footnote d for this parallel text
says: “Because God, living in the
Christian, is present with all his divine power for life. John is talking in
general terms, ignoring people’s momentary lapses, 1:7-2:1; all he is giving is
an schematic contrast between two worlds, cf. 3:9; 5:18.”
Another verse, v. 2 of this Second
Reading further mentions ‘forgiveness of sins’:
“he is the sacrifice that takes our sins away, and not only ours, but
the whole world’s.”
Parallel text for this verse
is 1 Jn 4:10 that says: “This is the love I mean: not our love for
God, but God’s love for us when he sent his Son to be the sacrifice that takes
our sins away.”
Again, this is another very
important reminder for the neophytes regarding committing sins after baptism
had been received, because it says that God’s love for us is so much that he
has sent his Son to us in order to take away our sins.
Of course, not everybody can
forgive. It is only those you have the capacity to understand and to ignore other
people’s momentary lapses, can. In forgiving, apparently, we cannot change what
has passed, but we can change what is forthcoming in the lives of those people
who are forgiven.
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