THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER (Cycle C) 1998

Having Overcome fear and taken courage after they had met the risen Christ, the apostles enthusiastically went out and preached even though it displeased the religious authority of the day. Called before a tribunal, Peter answered: Better for us to obey God than men!"

Faith in Christ was the motivation of their lives and actions. Peter understood that the freed that such faith could lead to suffering, to persecution, even to death. These were acceptable risks, and even a source of joy. The text says that they were worthy "that they had been judged worthy of ill-treatment for the sake of [Jesus Christ]."

Psalm 30 is a prayer of thanksgiving for deliverance from enemies: "Lord ... you did not let my enemies rejoice over me" (vs. 2). We are then called to praise God--to "sing praise ... and give thanks" (vs. 5), for God's "good will" (vs. 6). The responsorial verse (from vs. 2) repeats the praise of God for deliverance or rescue: "I will praise you Lord, for you have rescued. me." These verses express the sentiments of the apostles after being rescued or delivered from the Sanhedrin, going forth "full of joy."

In, the context of our reading from Acts, vs. 11, "Hear, 0 Lord, and have pity on me : 0 Lord, by my helper," would be the prayer of apostles at the tribunal. And the following verse, "You changed my mourning into dancing" expresses joy at being freed to go out and continue announcing Christ's resurrection and the salvation it means to all who believe. The final sentence of the response, a part of vs. 13, again expresses thanksgiving.

The thanksgiving today is for the deliverance and freedom that is ours because of Christ's victorious resurrection, which is the celebration of the Easter season.

The praise of Jesus continues in our second reading from Revelation. It contains two doxologies or statements of praise/thanksgiving . The first, which begins "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain..." is spoken in heaven. Seven qualities are attributed to the Lord. The symbolism of seven is fullness of praise. The attributes are power, wealth, wisdom and strength, honor, glory and praise. In chapter 7 of Revelation (7:12), these are attributes of God, and so these suggest the divinity of the Lamb. This is the Easter season in which we profess in celebration the divinity of the risen Jesus, now in heaven at the right hand of God, who in the second doxology of the text is "the One seated on the throne." In this cry of praise, the whole universe cries out in praise. The cosmos or universe is represented by the four living creatures; the elders
represent the people of the Old Testament. The response "Amen" expresses agreement and acceptance.

In context in the Easter season this is recognition of the victory of
Jesus Christ by his resurrection.

* ©Resurrection of Lazarus by Herman Falke, scj (CA)