Gospel
Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.
In the evening of the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you’, and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you.
‘As the Father sent me,
so am I sending you.’
After saying this he breathed on them and said:
‘Receive the Holy Spirit.
For those whose sins you forgive,
they are forgiven;
for those whose sins you retain,
they are retained.’
(John 20:19–23)
Did you know?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
- Pentecost was originally a Jewish harvest festival that was celebrated fifty days after the Passover. It was one of the great ‘pilgrimage’ festivals, which meant that people came to celebrate this feast at the temple. It was for this festival that so many pilgrims were present in Jerusalem on the day when the Spirit was manifested in the lives of the disciples.
- The Christian feast of Pentecost is fifty days after Easter and is the culmination of the Lent–Easter–Pentecost cycle.
- The Church teaches that the Holy Spirit brings both gifts and fruits to the faithful (see Sharing the Tradition).
Exploring the Word
Despite the promise of Jesus that he would not leave his disciples ‘orphaned’ (see sixth Sunday of Easter), they huddle in fear in the upper room after his death. He comes among them, not offering recriminations at their lack of faith, but offering peace—a peace won through the cross and resurrection. Just as Jesus is transformed by this experience, so too the disciples’ fear turns to joy. In the giving of his Spirit, Jesus literally breathes life back into the disciples. They are to go out and continue his work of forgiveness, judgment and witness in the world.
- What kind of experiences animate you and ‘bring you to life’, giving you energy to keep on with the task?
- What gifts can be discerned among members of the group?
- How are these gifts used by each one?
Making Connections
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
- Recall a time when you felt filled with joy.
- Relive your feelings when you first received the Holy Spirit at baptism.
- How do you feel about being ‘sent’ into the world?
- Recall someone you no longer see but who had a significant influence on shaping who you are, whose memory is alive for you and whose influence remains strong. Share your recollections of these people. Does this phenomenon give insight into the experience of the disciples at Pentecost?
- Try to recognise and affirm the gifts of others this week and use your own gifts to make life a little easier for someone else.
- Use today’s gospel acclamation as your prayer this week:
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful
and kindle in us the fire of your love.
Sharing the Tradition
A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ
Coming to faith is not so much acquiring a new set of beliefs about God as it is discovering God’s existence within the realities of our daily lives. The gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit help us to be more attuned to the actions of God in our lives and in our world. At baptism, the Spirit comes upon the newly initiated Christian, and at confirmation, the Spirit of God is renewed and confirmed in the faithful.
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are: wisdom, understanding, counsel (right judgment), fortitude (courage), knowledge, piety (reverence) and fear (awe) of the Lord (CCC, §1831).
The Church lists twelve fruits of the Spirit: charity (love), joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control and chastity (CCC, §1832).
- Explore these gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. How do you see them manifest in yourself and others? In what ways do we need to cultivate these gifts and fruits?
Symbols and Images
Red is the colour that is often associated with the Spirit, and red vestments are worn by the priest on Pentecost Sunday. Red symbolises the intense love or ‘fire’ of the Holy Spirit. Other symbols of the Spirit are tongues of flame, wind and a white dove. All have their origins in Scripture. Each of these conveys something of the mystery of the Spirit of God, which is beyond human understanding.
Living the Word
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment
- In what ways are the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit apparent in your community? In what ways does your community use and share those gifts and fruits?
- For some, this may be the last time they meet as an RCIA group. You could consider a special Eucharist and a meal together. It may be appropriate to present each person with a gift: a book of prayers or daily reflections, a Bible or some other suitable aide to ongoing formation.
- Use the symbols of the Holy Spirit as a focus for prayer: the colour red, small flames, a representation of a dove. Pray for the world and for the Church. Pray that the Spirit will live in each of you present. A suitable song could be ‘Gifts of the Spirit’ (GA 183). Conclude with the prayer at the laying on of hands from the rite of confirmation (RCIA, §228).
Gospel
Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.
The eleven disciples set out for Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had arranged to meet them. When they saw him they fell down before him, though some hesitated. Jesus came up and spoke to them. He said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.’
(Matthew 28:16–20)
Did you know?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
- The Ascension of Jesus is described only in the Book of Acts (1:2–11), although there is a shorter version in Luke’s Gospel. There are also allusions to the event elsewhere in the New Testament (such as John 6:62, or Ephesians 4:8–10).
- In Matthew’s Gospel, many of the important moments of Jesus’ life are located on mountaintops: his temptation, his transfiguration, the great teaching of the Sermon on the Mount and now this final instruction to his disciples. In this way, Matthew draws parallels with Moses, the great leader and lawgiver who encountered God on the mountaintop.
- Matthew shows Jesus as fulfilling and extending the teaching of Moses. Whereas the law had been for the people of Israel, Jesus sends his disciples to all nations; whereas the Jewish people had faith in the name of God, YHWH, Jesus sends his disciples to baptise in the name of the Father, Son and Spirit.
Exploring the Word
The feast of the Ascension celebrates the physical separation of Jesus from the human story, but this text promises his continual presence ‘to the end of time’. After three years of living, working and praying with the disciples, Jesus commissions them to continue his work in the world. This is a difficult challenge for some of the disciples who, although prepared to go to the appointed place, still hesitate! Despite their misgivings and fragile faith, he sends them out to all nations. Jesus has been given the authority that was once the exclusive domain of the God of Israel; Jesus has become the presence of the living God, and his presence will continue with his disciples through the Holy Spirit.
- Despite this affirmation from Jesus of his continued presence, the disciples at this point had no idea what would happen next. Talk for a time of how they may have felt. What did happen next?
Making Connections
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
- ‘Know that I am with you always.’ In what ways do you sense the presence of Jesus in yourself, in the Church and in the world?
- ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.’ How do you see your role in this great work of the Church? How can you bring the life of Christ to others?
- As you near the completion of your time with the RCIA, recall what it was that first drew you to wanting to become a disciple of Jesus. Share your reflections on how you now feel about your decision. Reflect on your way forward in the life of faith.
- Give witness to your faith this week by living the way of Christ: do not judge others, act with humility, respond to the needs of others, pray often.
- ‘Know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.’Memorise this verse to help you in times of doubt or distress.
Sharing the Tradition
A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ
The celebration of the Ascension as a particular feast day developed in the vicinity of Antioch around ad 380. The first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles notes that Jesus appeared among his disciples for forty days after the resurrection (Acts 1:3). It then goes on to describe Jesus being taken up into heaven (Acts 1:9). The juxtaposition of these two verses probably gave rise to this feast being celebrated forty days after Easter. Forty days after Easter falls on a Thursday, and in the past this feast was known as ‘Ascension Thursday’ and was a holy day of obligation. In more recent times, the celebration has been moved to the Sunday before Pentecost.
- You could talk about holy days of obligation and what they mean in the tradition of the Church. There may be other obligations of the faith that the newly baptised have not yet encountered. Make sure they are equipped to move beyond the RCIA and into full participation in the Church.
- This text from Matthew is often taken as the foundational text of mission organisations who work in cross-cultural contexts, such as St Columbans Mission Society or Catholic Mission. You could speak about the work of such groups and why the missionary activity of the Church is still so important.
- Emphasise that all the baptised are called to participate in the missionary work of the Church, in whatever sphere we work.
Symbols and Images
The word apostle comes from the Greek word meaning ‘one who is sent out’. Jesus sends his apostles out to continue to preach the Good News to the entire world. This recalls for us the ‘sending out’ that occurs at the end of our Mass: ‘Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.’ We, too, are sent to bring the truth of the Gospel into our daily actions and decisions and thus give witness to the faith we profess.
Living the Word
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment
- In what ways does your community support and engage in the missionary work of the Church? Are there ways the newly baptised can become involved in this work?
- The Book of the Gospels is a suitable focus for prayer. Use or adapt one of the prefaces for the Ascension. You could use the psalm of praise from today’s liturgy. Pray for each other. A suitable song could be ‘Lord, you give the Great Commission’(GA 313) or ‘Take Christ to the world’(GA 369). Conclude with the blessing in RCIA at §97I.
GOSPEL
Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘If you love me you will keep my commandments.
I shall ask the Father,
and he will give you another Advocate
to be with you for ever,
that Spirit of truth
whom the world can never receive
since it neither sees nor knows him;
but you know him,
because he is with you, he is in you.
I will not leave you orphans;
I will come back to you.
In a short time the world will no longer see me;
but you will see me,
because I live and you will live.
On that day you will understand that I am in my Father
and you in me and I in you.
Anybody who receives my commandments and keeps them
will be one who loves me;
and anybody who loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I shall love him and show myself to him.’
(John 14:15–21)
DID YOU KNOW?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
- The word advocate means ‘called to the side of’ and thus is often used to describe a mediator or assistant in a lawsuit.
- Some translations of the Bible use the word paraclete instead of advocate; others use the word counsellor or comforter.
- In John’s Gospel, the Holy Spirit continues the work of Jesus himself (14:17, 26), recalling things the earthly Jesus taught or revealing things he was unable to convey. In John’s view, this spiritual knowledge or insight, unavailable until after Jesus’ death and resurrection, makes Christian faith and understanding fully possible.
EXPLORING THE WORD
This text again alerts the disciples to that time when Jesus will no longer be with them. His departure will be a severe challenge to their faith, and Jesus gives voice to the challenge: ‘If you love me you will keep my commandments.’ This challenging call to follow the commandments of Jesus is accompanied by a gift—the gift of someone else, the Advocate, who will be by their side during that interim period between the two comings. Jesus does promise to return, and in the meantime, his presence and that of the Father live on in the love that is to be the way of life of the Christian. The Holy Spirit is not a thing apart from God and Jesus but the bond of love between them, and the believer is drawn into this love and becomes a part of it through living the way of Christ. Through the Spirit, Jesus remains forever present to the Church, and all Christians are brought into the very life of God.
Contemplate the ways you experience the life and love of the Spirit of God in the world:
- in nature and human relationships
- in society
- in personal prayer
- in the Church and its liturgy.
MAKING CONNECTIONS
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
- When have you felt abandoned or left behind?
- What, for you, are the key commandments of Jesus?
- Who have been those people who have helped you through difficult times?
- Recall an experience of being supported by someone in a time of critical need. Share your memories of what form that support took and the impact it had on you.
- Be ‘life-giving’ to someone this week. Be an advocate, a counselor or comforter to someone in need.
- Pray to the Holy Spirit this week:
Come Holy Spirit, renew me with your gifts.
Heal my brokenness, pour down your wisdom.
Instill your peace within me, inspire my every need.
Amen.
SHARING THE TRADITION
A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ
The knowledge of faith is possible only in the Holy Spirit: to be in touch with Christ, we must first have been touched by the Holy Spirit … By virtue of our Baptism, the first sacrament of the faith, the Holy Spirit in the Church communicates to us, intimately and personally, the life that originates in the Father and is offered to us in the Son.
(CCC, §683)
The Holy Spirit, as the third person of the Trinity, is central to our understanding of God and to our faith in Christ. It is clear from many of the formulations of faith in the New Testament that the very first Christians had a keen sense of Jesus living on with them through his gift of the Spirit.
- The Catechism of the Catholic Church has a very good section on the titles and symbols of the Holy Spirit (CCC, §§691–701). Explore these and take particular note of any relationships to the sacraments that have recently been received by the newly baptised.
- Discuss ways in which the Holy Spirit is seen to live on in the Church and its action in the world.
SYMBOLS AND IMAGES
One of the often repeated themes in John’s Gospel is that of life. Life in abundance (John 10:10) is available to all who believe in Jesus and live his way. How do you understand that abundance of life that is now yours through baptism?
LIVING THE WORD
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment
- In what ways does your community serve the world and cooperate with the movement of the Spirit to the conversion of the world? Encourage the newly baptised to take an active role in a ministry that serves the movement of the Spirit.
- Use a selection of symbols of the Holy Spirit as a focus for prayer (for example, water, oil, fire, the colour red, a dove). Pray for each other that the Spirit of Christ will remain with you as you near completion of the period of mystagogy. A suitable song could be ‘Spirit-friend’ (GA 184) or ‘The Spirit of God’ (GA 185). Conclude with the prayer of the laying on of hands used in celebration of confirmation in the RCIA at §228.
Gospel
Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘Do not let your hearts be troubled.
Trust in God still, and trust in me.
There are many rooms in my Father’s house;
if there were not, I should have told you.
I am going now to prepare a place for you,
and after I have gone and prepared you a place,
I shall return to take you with me;
so that where I am
you may be too.
You know the way to the place where I am going.’
Thomas said, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’ Jesus said:
‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.
No one can come to the Father except through me.
If you know me, you know my Father too.
From this moment you know him and have seen him.’
Philip said, ‘Lord, let us see the Father and then we shall be satisfied.’ ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip,’ said Jesus to him ‘and you still do not know me?
‘To have seen me is to have seen the Father,
so how can you say, “Let us see the Father”?
Do you not believe
that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
The words I say to you I do not speak as from myself:
it is the Father, living in me, who is doing this work.
You must believe me when I say
that I am in the Father and the Father is in me;
believe it on the evidence of this work, if for no other reason.
I tell you most solemnly,
whoever believes in me
will perform the same works as I do myself,
he will perform even greater works,
because I am going to the Father.’
(John 14:1–12)
Did you know?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
This text comes from a long section of John’s Gospel known as the ‘Farewell Discourse’, during which Jesus gives final instruction to the disciples at the Last Supper. Perhaps this echoes something of your own experience of the period of mystagogy.
Exploring the Word
Today’s gospel draws our attention to the time when Jesus will depart from the disciples (the Ascension is two weeks away). When Jesus is gone, the disciples must continue the task that he has begun. One can imagine their fear and uncertainty in being left with such a monumental challenge. Philip’s question, ‘Lord, how can we know the way?’, shows their fear clearly enough. But help is available. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He is both the map and the destination. Disciples are called to adopt Jesus’ lifestyle, his approach to God, to others, to all creation. In living as Jesus did, living the life of faith, the disciples will know the truth and will have life. This life of faith and living the way of Jesus, God’s way in the world, will enable the disciples not only to continue the work of Jesus but to perform even greater works.
- In what ways does your commitment to living this life of faith get tested each day?
- What great works are you now called on to perform?
- What are some ways to continue to deepen your knowledge and love of Jesus?
Making connections
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
- Now that you have come to the Father through Jesus Christ, what sense do you have of the Father living in you?
- What are the things that cause your heart to be troubled?
- What are the things that cause you to be satisfied?
- ‘I am going to prepare a place for you.’ Share reflections on those places that are special to you for some reason. Is there a particular place where you find it easiest to experience the presence of God in your life?
- Allow your own home and its various rooms to remind you of your Father’s house this week. Be hospitable and open the doors of your home to someone in need of company.
- Use today’s psalm response as your prayer this week:
Lord, let your mercy be on us,
as we place our trust in you.
Sharing the Tradition
A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ
Living the way of Jesus is to choose life. An exploration of what ‘Life in Christ’ means takes up an entire section in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The catechism states that ‘Catechesis has to reveal in all clarity the joy and the demands of the way of Christ’ (CCC, §1697). As the newly baptised may be drawing to the end of their formal period of catechesis, while other catechumens may be continuing, it could be useful to explore the type of catechesis needed for continual ‘newness of life’: a catechesis of the Holy Spirit, of grace, of the Beatitudes, of sin and forgiveness, of human and Christian virtues, of charity and of the Church.
- Using the catechism (CCC, §1697), explore what all these are and how they may be useful in ongoing formation and growth in the life of faith.
- What does it mean to claim that ‘the first and last point of reference of catechesis will always be Jesus Christ himself’ (CCC, §1698). Explore this with relation to today’s gospel.
Symbols and images
The Father’s house, of which Jesus speaks here, refers to that spiritual state of being in which we will live knowing God, as we are already known so intimately by him. It is Jesus who grants access to this ‘house’ or state of being. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life for those who believe. In what ways do you feel ‘at home’ in the Father’s house?
Living the Word
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment
- The rooms of the Father’s house are reflected in the various works of the Church. How many ‘rooms’ are there in your parish community? Is everyone welcomed and encouraged to participate? Invite the newly baptised to get involved.
- Continue to use the Easter colours and symbols as a focus for prayer. Pray for each other. You could perhaps use an adaptation of the prayers of intercession for one of the scrutiny liturgies. Sing an Easter song. Conclude by reciting the Creed together.
GOSPEL
Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.
Jesus said: ‘I tell you most solemnly, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold through the gate, but gets in some other way is a thief and a brigand. The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the flock; the gatekeeper lets him in, the sheep hear his voice, one by one he calls his own sheep and leads them out. When he has brought out his flock, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow because they know his voice. They never follow a stranger but run away from him: they do not recognise the voice of strangers.’
Jesus told them this parable but they failed to understand what he meant by telling it to them. So Jesus spoke to them again:
‘I tell you most solemnly,
I am the gate of the sheepfold.
All others who have come
are thieves and brigands;
but the sheep took no notice of them.
I am the gate.
Anyone who enters through me will be safe:
he will go freely in and out
and be sure of finding pasture.
The thief comes
only to steal and kill and destroy.
I have come
so that they may have life and have it to the full.’
(John 10:1–10)
DID YOU KNOW?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
- In ancient times, shepherds and their sheep wandered in search of pasture, often travelling many miles. At night, the shepherd would build an enclosure to keep his sheep together and safe from predators. Often he would form a human gate by sleeping at the entry to the enclosure.
- The words pastor and pastoral come from the Latin word for ‘shepherd’.
- This is one of seven sayings of Jesus in John’s Gospel known as the ‘I am’ sayings. In John, this wording is an indication of the divinity of Jesus because it echoes the sacred name of God revealed to Moses: ‘I am who am’ (Exodus 3:14).
EXPLORING THE WORD
In the Gospel of John, we do not find parables in the traditional sense. They are not a literary device that John employs, but this text is as close an approximation to a parable as we have. The contrast he draws between the shepherd who enters the fold by the gate and the thieves and brigands who seek to enter another way is really about leadership. There are good leaders and bad leaders. The good leader of God’s people must come to them through Jesus, who is the gate. The thieves and brigands will only lead the people to fear and confusion, where they will be scattered. Perhaps John is addressing a situation in his community where those who are seeking leadership are not following the voice of Jesus but seeking their own aggrandisement or following their own agenda. Such people will ultimately lead the flock to destruction, but Jesus gives life in abundance to all who know his voice and follow him as shepherd.
- What false voices can be heard in our world today?
- What message do they proclaim that is different from the message of Jesus?
- What are the things that make it difficult to resist the false voices in our world?
MAKING CONNECTIONS
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
- What does it mean to you to have ‘life to the full’?
- Where is the voice of Christ calling you to go?
- Share together some reflections on people you have known who have been a guide and a protector to you. Try to describe the positive attributes they had and how they used these gifts in caring for others.
- When you pray this week, pray before an image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Be a protector of someone in need of help this week.
- Psalm 22 (23) is one of the best loved and most well-known psalms. Try to learn it by heart and recite it often this week:
The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures
where he gives me repose.
Near restful waters he leads me,
to revive my drooping spirit.
SHARING THE TRADITION
A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ
John’s Gospel provides various images of Jesus in the form of the ‘I am’ sayings. There are seven of these:
- ‘I am the bread of life’ (6:48)
- ‘I am the light of the world’ (8:12, 9:5)
- ‘I am the sheep gate and the good shepherd’ (10:9, 11)
- ‘I am the resurrection and the life’ (11:25)
- ‘I am the way, the truth and the life’ (14:6)
- ‘I am the true vine’ (15:1)
- ‘Before Abraham was born, I am’ (8:58).
All these sayings—especially the last one listed—should be read and understood within the context of the Hebrew name for God. When Moses encountered God in the burning bush, he asks by what name God is known. God replies, ‘I am who am. Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “I am has sent me to you.”’ John is making a very profound point about the identity of Jesus in these sayings.
- Read each saying in its context in the gospel and discuss what it means for Jesus to be the bread of life, the true vine, the way, the truth and the life, etc. In what ways does this add to your understanding of Christ?
SYMBOLS AND IMAGES
The image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd is a very well-known one. It denotes his individual and pastoral care for all the flock. John takes this a step further. Entry into the flock of God’s people can only come through the gateway that is belief in Christ.
LIVING THE WORD
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment
- What pictorial images of Jesus are there in your church or parish buildings? Which of these do you find most helpful? What images do the newly baptised have in their homes?
- Continue to use Easter symbols in your prayer. Add an image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Pray for all those who are like lost sheep. Pray for each other. Sing one of the settings of Psalm 22(23) (GA 23, 24, 25, 506). Conclude with an adaptation of the blessing in the RCIA at §97D.
Gospel
Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.
Two of the disciples of Jesus were on their way to a village called Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking together about all that had happened. Now as they talked this over, Jesus himself came up and walked by their side; but something prevented them from recognising him. He said to them, ‘What matters are you discussing as you walk along?’ They stopped short, their faces downcast.
Then one of them, called Cleopas, answered him, ‘You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening there these last few days.’ ‘What things?’ he asked. ‘All about Jesus of Nazareth’ they answered ‘who proved he was a great prophet by the things he said and did in the sight of God and of the whole people; and how our chief priests and our leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and had him crucified. Our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free. And this is not all: two whole days have gone by since it all happened; and some women from our group have astounded us: they went to the tomb in the early morning, and when they did not find the body, they came back to tell us they had seen a vision of angels who declared he was alive. Some of our friends went to the tomb and found everything exactly as the women had reported, but of him they saw nothing.’
Then he said to them, ‘You foolish men! So slow to believe the full message of the prophets! Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory?’ Then, starting with Moses and going through all the prophets, he explained to them the passages throughout the scriptures that were about himself.
When they drew near to the village to which they were going, he made as if to go on; but they pressed him to stay with them. ‘It is nearly evening’ they said ‘and the day is almost over.’ So he went in to stay with them. Now while he was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised him; but he had vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?’
They set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven assembled together with their companions, who said to them, ‘Yes, it is true. The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’ Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of bread.
(Luke 24:13–35)
Did you know?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
- The exact site of the town of Emmaus is not known to archaeologists.
- The early church referred to the Eucharist as ‘the breaking of bread’ (Acts 2:42).
- This gospel text reflects the structure of the Mass: Jesus first opened the Scriptures (the Liturgy of the Word) and then broke bread (the Liturgy of the Eucharist).
Exploring the Word
Much of Luke’s Gospel is taken up by the account of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem to the cross. In this gospel, the two disciples have turned their backs on that event and are journeying away from the salvation that was won by Jesus there. All they can see is the confusion and disappointment of their failed hopes and expectations. They thought that Jesus was the Messiah but he died an ignoble death on the cross! They do not even recognise him as he walks beside them. They thought they knew what sort of Messiah he was. But Jesus does not abandon them. He continues his instruction of the disciples through the Scriptures, and their hearts burn within them. They continue to be open to hearing the truth, and their doubts are overcome. They finally come to recognise that Jesus is present with them in the breaking of the bread.
- Do you fear that the demands of following Jesus will be too much for you? Are you tempted to turn your back and walk away?
- Talk about the ways in which the Scriptures and coming together to break bread in community can help to keep you on the road of faith and commitment.
Making connections
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
- What sense do you have of Jesus walking by your side?
- ‘Did not our hearts burn within us …?’ What resonance does this phrase have with how you feel now?
- Reflect back on how the unlocking of the message of the Scriptures helped you in your journey to faith.
- Have there been times in your life when you have failed to recognise a truth or just couldn’t see something clearly? What or who helped to open your eyes? Share your reflections.
- Tell something of your story of ‘what happened on the road’ to someone this week. Share the good news.
- Use today’s gospel acclamation as your prayer:
- Lord Jesus, make your word plain to us;
- make our hearts burn with love when you speak.
Sharing the Tradition
A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ
When we read of the meal at Emmaus, we cannot fail to see the parallels with the actions of the Last Supper, in which Jesus instituted the Eucharist. The fourfold actions of taking the bread, blessing it, breaking it and giving it are present, and it is in these actions that the disciples recognise Jesus.
- Look at the structure of the Liturgy of the Eucharist and see where each of these actions is present: the preparation of gifts, the Eucharistic prayer, the fraction rite and the giving of communion.
- Discuss the importance of the communal nature of Catholic faith.
- Speak of ways that faith can be nourished by receiving the Eucharist.
Symbols and images
The journey of the disciples to Emmaus recalls our own journey from doubt to faith. Informed by the Scriptures and nourished by the Eucharist, the disciples know that Jesus walks with them.
Living the Word
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment
- What opportunities for ongoing formation in the lifelong journey of faith are available in your community? Can the newly baptised be encouraged to participate in these after the period of mystagogy concludes?
- Continue to use Easter symbols as a focus. Pray for all those who are setting out on their journey to faith. Pray for each other. Sing an Easter song. Conclude with the prayer of blessing in the RCIA at §97C.
Gospel
Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.
In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you’, and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father sent me,
so am I sending you.’ After saying this he breathed on them and said:
‘Receive the Holy Spirit.
For those whose sins you forgive,
they are forgiven;
for those whose sins you retain,
they are retained.’
Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. When the disciples said, ‘We have seen the Lord’, he answered, ‘Unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.’ Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. ‘Peace be with you’ he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.’ Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him: ‘You believe because you can see me. Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.’
There were many other signs that Jesus worked and the disciples saw, but they are not recorded in this book. These are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing this you may have life through his name.
(John 20:19–31)
Did you know?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
- The period from Easter to Pentecost is known as ‘the Great Fifty Days’ and is an integral part of the Lent–Easter–Pentecost cycle.
- There is an ancient tradition that St Thomas preached the Gospel as far east as India.
- In Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus, the name of Thomas means ‘twin’.
Exploring the Word
This gospel is one of transformation. The fear of the disciples, locked in their upper room and huddled in upon themselves, is transformed by the gift of peace that Jesus brings and his giving of the Spirit to strengthen them on their way. The doubt of Thomas is transformed by his encounter with the risen Lord. With this transformation, however, comes responsibility. Just as Jesus was sent by the Father, now, too, the disciples are sent into the world to act as Jesus did.
- You could discuss the concluding rite of the liturgy and how we are sent out into the world to continue Christ’s mission.
When Thomas is told by his companions that they have seen Jesus, he places his own conditions on faith. He will not believe unless he sees and touches Jesus. Jesus must fulfill the expectations that Thomas has!
- Are there times when we expect God to act as we wish rather than being open to the presence of the risen Christ in unexpected ways?
- What does the peace of Christ mean to believers today?
Making connections
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
- ‘The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord.’ What have been your feelings since the events of last week?
- ‘Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.’ This is addressed to you! How will you nourish that belief in the future?
- How do you understand ‘life in his name’?
- What does ‘the peace of Christ’ evoke for you now?
- Share experiences of doubt you have had in your life: times when you doubted the love of another or doubted your own abilities. What drove doubt away? How was doubt driven out for you by the events of the Easter Vigil? Share your reflections.
- Look for ways in which a simple gesture of touch can convey friendship, compassion or support this week.
- Repeat St Thomas’ acclamation of faith this week:
My Lord and my God.
Sharing the Tradition
A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ
‘Those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven. Those whose sins you retain, they are retained.’ Jesus’ disciples are to continue the work of reconciling all people to God. His power to forgive sins is conferred on the Church. Through baptism, God’s forgiveness becomes available to us, but human beings do not lose their tendency to sin simply because they are baptised. The sacrament of reconciliation is there to assist the faithful to acknowledge human sinfulness and seek forgiveness and reconciliation with God.
- Review the rites of reconciliation with special attention to the prayers used.
- The Catechism of the Catholic Church offers ample material for the exploration of this sacrament.
- Discuss the value of privately reflecting on our human failings and weaknesses. Through being more aware of our sinfulness, we open ourselves to God’s mercy and love.
Symbols and images
It is when Thomas is given the opportunity to touch Jesus that he professes his faith. Touch goes beyond verifying physical presence. It can provide healing and comfort; it can be an act of support or compassion.
Living the Word
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment
- How and when is the sacrament of reconciliation celebrated in your community? Perhaps the newly baptised may need to become familiar with the form of reconciliation. One possibility may be to arrange a special celebration for the newly baptised, their sponsors and other key members of the community for their first reception of this sacrament.
- Use the Easter symbol of the pascal candle and the symbols of initiation, oil and water, as a focus for prayer. Pray for each other and pray for the peace of Christ. You could use adaptations of the prayers used in initiation. Conclude with an Easter song.
Presider
In the Communion established by the Holy Spirit, we gather together the prayers entrusted to us today and offer them to our Father.
Reader
We pray for Pope Leo and all Church leaders. May the Holy Spirit inspire them with a deep spirit of service that will enable the Church to renew the face of the earth.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who have turned away from the Church. May they be encouraged by the example of faithful followers to once again walk in the footsteps of Jesus.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
As we celebrate this week the feast of Our Lady Help of Christians, the patroness of our country, we pray that we will all learn to show a spirit of generosity and acceptance to those who now share our land.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our faith community. May we each recognise the gifts of the Holy Spirit given to us and use them for our good and the betterment of others.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who are sick and for those who care for them.
We pray for all who have died recently and for those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they be raised in the Spirit of Jesus to share eternal life through him.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Presider
Father of us all, hear our prayers as we ask for peace, justice and healing in our world and in our Church. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Presider
In Christ’s name, we gather together our prayers of petition and bring them before the throne of divine glory.
Reader
We pray for Pope Leo and all bishops. May they lead the Church proclaiming the Gospel to all the world.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our faith community. May God’s life so grow in us that we wisely use the gifts of this world without losing sight of the heavenly joy prepared for us.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the sick of our parish and for all who have asked for our prayers.
We pray for those who have died recently and those whose anniversaries we recall at this time. May they fully share in the glory of the Son seated at the right hand of the Father.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Presider
Gracious God, through these prayers we offer to you today, may we know even more the hope that belongs to us through Christ our risen Saviour.
Amen.
Presider
In Christ’s name, we gather together and open our hearts in prayer for those most in need of God’s healing, justice and peace.
Reader
We pray for our Church under the leadership of Pope Leo. May the Holy Spirit promised by Jesus inspire all her leaders with the gifts of wisdom and compassion.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our world, especially for those nations struggling against injustice and violence. May they experience peace in our time.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray in thanksgiving for all mothers on this Mothers’ Day. May they be blessed in the nurturing love they continue to give their families.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our faith community in our strengths and our weaknesses. May we turn to the Spirit to support us in our time of need.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for …
Lord hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the sick of our parish and for those who care for them.
We pray for those who have died recently and those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they rejoice in the presence of God’s unconditional love.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Presider
O God, receive these prayers from your people who have been brought to life in the Spirit. We ask this through our risen Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
