Wildfire Community Preparedness Day

Saturday, 2 May, is being observed as Wildfire Community Preparedness Day, an initiative designed to to raise awareness of wildfire risk, to share information and knowledge, and to help residents make changes to improve the survival of their homes and neighborhoods.

For more information about this initiative, please visit:

NFPA: Wildfire Community Preparedness Day

Birthday Blessings, Adalynn!!!

Happy Birthday greetings to granddaughter Adalynn, whose birthday is today! May this day and the upcoming year be filled with an outpouring of the Lord's choicest blessings!

Prayer Starter from Pope Francis

"There are families in need who cannot work and have nothing to eat. Then along come usurers to take what little they have. Let us pray together for these families' dignity. And let us pray also for the usurers, that the Lord might touch their hearts and convert them." - Pope Francis

Pope John Paul II: Encyclical Letter Ecclesia de Eucharistia, Part 22

In 2003, on Holy Thursday, 2003. Pope John Paul II issued what would be his final encyclical: Ecclesia de Eucharistia, "On the Eucharist and Its Relationship to the Church." This encyclical contains much to prayerfully ponder/meditate on. The encyclical's Chapter Two, The Eucharist Builds the Church, continues as follows:

"22. Incorporation into Christ, which is brought about by Baptism, is constantly renewed and consolidated by sharing in the Eucharistic Sacrifice, especially by that full sharing which takes place in sacramental communion. We can say not only that each of us receives Christ, but also that Christ receives each of us. He enters into friendship with us: 'You are my friends' (Jn 15:14). Indeed, it is because of him that we have life: 'He who eats me will live because of me' (Jn 6:57). Eucharistic communion brings about in a sublime way the mutual 'abiding' of Christ and each of his followers: 'Abide in me, and I in you' (Jn 15:4).

"By its union with Christ, the People of the New Covenant, far from closing in upon itself, becomes a 'sacrament' for humanity,³⁹ a sign and instrument of the salvation achieved by Christ, the light of the world and the salt of the earth (cf. Mt 5:13-16), for the redemption of all.⁴⁰ The Church's mission stands in continuity with the mission of Christ: 'As the Father has sent me, even so I send you' (Jn 20:21). From the perpetuation of the sacrifice of the Cross and her communion with the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist, the Church draws the spiritual power needed to carry out her mission. The Eucharist thus appears as both the source and the summit of all evangelization, since its goal is the communion of mankind with Christ and in him with the Father and the Holy Spirit.⁴¹"

Notes

 

³⁹Cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, 1.

⁴⁰Cf. ibid., 9.

⁴¹Cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Life and Ministry of Priests Presbyterorum Ordinis, 5. The same Decree, in No. 6, says: "No Christian community can be built up which does not grow from and hinge on the celebration of the most holy Eucharist."

The Capris: "There's A Moon Out Tonight"

It's time for some more doo wop. Here is a presentation of "There's A Moon Out Tonight" by Randy & the Rainbows:

 

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of good Popes You have worked through to shepherd Your Church.

Michael Heinliein on the Timeliness and Appropriateness of the Upcoming Consecration of the U.S. to Mary

"In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. bishops, under the leadership of Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, will consecrate the United States to the maternal care of the Blessed Virgin Mary on May 1. This act of entrusting the nation to Our Lady coincides with similar initiatives in other countries as well, including Canada and Italy.

"With the global effects of the coronavirus still uncertain, difficult and unprecedented challenges face us in virtually every aspect of life - and current scientific analysis seems to indicate that we are unlikely to be rid of the disease anytime soon. Since it is inevitable that the Church will continue to be greatly affected by COVID-19, it is notable that the U.S. bishops have chosen to consecrate our land to Mary under the title of Mother of the Church. There is much that can be said about that title - especially given its increased popularity since Pope Francis added its memorial to the Roman calendar in 2018 - but it is fitting and timely considering what the Church now faces."

In a recent commentary  Michael R. Heinlein, editor of SimplyCatholic.com, reflected on why this consecration is appropriate at this time.

To access Mr. Heinlein's complete essay, please visit:

Our Sunday Visitor: Turning to our mother: Consecration of the U.S. to Mary is timely and fitting (27 APR 20)

Reflection Starter from John Cardinal Dearden

"We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that fact. This enables us to do something and to do it very, very, well. We may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a stop along the way, an opportunity for grace to enter in and do the rest. We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the Master Builder and the workers. We are the workers, not Master Builders . . . ministers, not Messiahs. We are prophets of a future that is not our own." - John Cardinal Dearden

Coronavirus-related New England Municipal Government News Headlines

Recent news stories related to municipal government in New England (and issues being faced on the local level) include these articles:

CT: New Britain students without internet access can now connect through Wi-Fi hotspots (New Britain Herald)

ME: Lewiston and Auburn make changes in public works services (Lewiston Sun Journal)

MA: 'Trying time': Framingham Health Department staff step up to respond to pandemic (MetroWest Daily News, Framingham)

NH: City warns residents not to get complacent about COVID-19 (The Berlin Sun)

RI: The homeless at center of debate over city’s response to crisis (The Valley Breeze)

VT: Hinesburg 'mathletes' compete in Math Madness … virtually (The Citizen)

National: COVID-19 Disinformation Is a Growing, Dangerous Problem (Government Technology)

Background information:

New Britain, CT, Public Schools

City of New Britain, CT

City of Auburn, ME

City of Lewiston, ME

City of Framingham, MA

City of Berlin, NH

City of Woonsocket, RI

Hinesburg, VT, Community School

Town of Hinesburg, VT

Birthday Blessings, Lori!!!

Birthday greetings to niece Lori Dymek Kirch, whose birthday is today!!! May this day and the upcoming year be filled with the Lord's choicest blessings!!!

Prayer Starter from Pope Francis

"Let us pray together for those who provide funeral services. What they do is so painful, so sad, and they are touched deeply by the pain of this pandemic. Let us pray for them." - Pope Francis

Pope John Paul II: Encyclical Letter Ecclesia de Eucharistia, Part 21

In 2003, on Holy Thursday, 2003. Pope John Paul II issued what would be his final encyclical: Ecclesia de Eucharistia, "On the Eucharist and Its Relationship to the Church." This encyclical contains much to prayerfully ponder/meditate on. The encyclical's Chapter Two, The Eucharist Builds the Church, begins as follows:

"21. The Second Vatican Council teaches that the celebration of the Eucharist is at the centre of the process of the Church's growth. After stating that 'the Church, as the Kingdom of Christ already present in mystery, grows visibly in the world through the power of God',³⁵ then, as if in answer to the question: 'How does the Church grow?', the Council adds: 'as often as the sacrifice of the Cross by which "Christ our pasch is sacrificed" (1 Cor 5:7) is celebrated on the altar, the work of our redemption is carried out. At the same time in the sacrament of the Eucharistic bread, the unity of the faithful, who form one body in Christ (cf. 1 Cor 10:17), is both expressed and brought about'.³⁶

"A causal influence of the Eucharist is present at the Church's very origins. The Evangelists specify that it was the Twelve, the Apostles, who gathered with Jesus at the Last Supper (cf. Mt 26:20; Mk 14:17; Lk 22:14). This is a detail of notable importance, for the Apostles 'were both the seeds of the new Israel and the beginning of the sacred hierarchy'.³⁷ By offering them his body and his blood as food, Christ mysteriously involved them in the sacrifice which would be completed later on Calvary. By analogy with the Covenant of Mount Sinai, sealed by sacrifice and the sprinkling of blood,³⁸ the actions and words of Jesus at the Last Supper laid the foundations of the new messianic community, the People of the New Covenant.

"The Apostles, by accepting in the Upper Room Jesus' invitation: 'Take, eat', 'Drink of it, all of you' (Mt 26:26-27), entered for the first time into sacramental communion with him. From that time forward, until the end of the age, the Church is built up through sacramental communion with the Son of God who was sacrificed for our sake: 'Do this is remembrance of me... Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me' (1 Cor 11:24-25; cf. Lk 22:19).

Notes

³⁶Ibid.

³⁷Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 5.

³⁸"Moses took the blood and threw it upon the people, and said: 'Behold the blood of the Covenant which the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words'" (Ex 24:8).

The Newfangled Four: "Bananaphone"

It's time for some more barbershop harmony. Here is a presentation of "Bananaphone" by The Newfangled Four:

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of life in all its various forms.

Fr. Dwight Longenecker on Ways to Stop Worrying

"Like most people, my world has been thrown into a spin with the pandemic. I am very disturbed at the total lockdown of the sacraments. I can understand stopping public church services, but eliminating all sacraments - even private visits to homes or private confessions seems very draconian. However, with so much that is uncertain about the virus, I can understand that all leaders wish to err on the side of caution. Most people reacted at first by denying there was a major problem. That's natural. It was my reaction too. We have yet to see just how major the problem is, but better safe than sorry.

"Having our world turned upside down with a pandemic is bound to make people worry. We worry about our own health. Will we get sick? Will it be serious? Will we die? If we are elderly or have underlying health concerns the worries increase. Then we worry about our loved ones. If we have elderly friends and family members we worry about them. Then there is the larger scale of concern. Will the health care system break down? What if this goes on far longer than they think and there is social breakdown? What will happen if the infrastructure and systems begin to crumble? What if there is total economic burnout?

"All of these worries and more are bound to hit us. So what can you do to stop worrying? . . ."

In a recent commentary, Father Dwight Longenecker (parish priest at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, Greenville, SC) reflected on a number of steps we can take to lessen our worrying, including not getting caught up in a bad news tailspin (check the news, weigh the good news with the bad news, and don't keep checking the news channels every few minutes), pray the news (after getting your news update, take it to the Lord in prayer), taking one day at a time, and reaching out to others.

To access Fr. Longenecker’s complete post, please visit:

Fr. Dwight Longenecker: Ten Ways to Stop Worrying (31 MAR 20)

Background information:

Dwight Longenecker - Catholic priest and author

Reflection Starter from St. Catherine of Siena

"These tiny ants have proceeded from His thought just as much as I, it caused Him just as much trouble to create the angels as these animals and the flowers on the trees." - Saint Catherine of Siena, whose memory the Church celebrates today (29 April)

On Building a Village from Coffee Stir Sticks, Raising Guide Dogs for the Blind, and Other New England Topics

A number of articles/posts (not necessarily related to COVID-9) have recently been published on a variety of New England-related subjects worth considering.

To access some of these, please visit:

The Enterprise (Brockton,, MA): Visually impaired Easton native finds 'a different path' as an engineer (3 JAN 20)

Bangor Daily News: Mainers used to dance the night away at these long-gone, small-town music venues (15 JAN 20)

The Taunton Daily Gazette: Chance encounter leads Bristol County men from beekeeping to kidney donation (29 JAN 20)

The Patriot Ledger (Quincy, MA): Kingston family gives back by raising guide dogs for the blind (14 FEB 20)

Waterbury (VT) Record: Imagine a village built from coffee stir sticks (23 JAN 20)

Connecticut Public Radio: Hartford Street Choir Gives People Experiencing Homelessness A Chance To Give Back To The Community (16 DEC 19)

The Boston Globe: The last of the seafaring life, at the Boston Fish Pier (15 FEB 20)

WWLP: High school student creates posters for local first responders (22 JAN 20)

NBC Connecticut: Hartford Closes Historic Firehouse (6 JAN 20)

The Barre Montpelier Times Argus: Science Friday: Vermont’s ghost lakes (30 JAN 20)

Bangor Daily News: A Greenville man created a 32-hour rock opera version of the Bible (7 OCT 19) 

Police Magazine: Massachusetts Officer Brushes Snow from Drivers Rooftop (6 DEC 19)

Preservation Week

This week, the week of 26 April-2 May, is being observed as Preservation Week, an initiative designed to connect communities through events, activities, and resources that highlight what communities can do, individually and together, to preserve their personal and shared collections.

According to the American Library Association, Libraries alone hold 3 billion items in various collections (63 percent of the whole). Uncounted additional items are held by individuals, families, and communities. These collections include books, manuscripts, photographs, prints and drawings, and objects such as maps, textiles, paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, and furniture. They also include moving images and sound recordings that capture performing arts, oral history, and other records of creativity and history.

Background information:

American Library Association: Preservation Week

Facebook: Preservation Week

Heritage Health Index: A Public Trust at Risk:The Heritage Health Index Report on the State of America’s Collections (2005)

Prayer Starter from Pope Francis

"Let us pray together for all those who are suffering from sadness, because they are alone, do not know what future awaits them, or cannot take care of their family because they have no job. Let us pray for them today." - Pope Francis

Pope John Paul II: Encyclical Letter Ecclesia de Eucharistia, Part 20

In 2003, on Holy Thursday, 2003. Pope John Paul II issued what would be his final encyclical: Ecclesia de Eucharistia, "On the Eucharist and Its Relationship to the Church." This encyclical contains much to prayerfully ponder/meditate on. The encyclical's Chapter One, The Mystery of Faith, continues as follows: 

"20. A significant consequence of the eschatological tension inherent in the Eucharist is also the fact that it spurs us on our journey through history and plants a seed of living hope in our daily commitment to the work before us. Certainly the Christian vision leads to the expectation of 'new heavens' and 'a new earth' (Rev 21:1), but this increases, rather than lessens, our sense of responsibility for the world today.³³ I wish to reaffirm this forcefully at the beginning of the new millennium, so that Christians will feel more obliged than ever not to neglect their duties as citizens in this world. Theirs is the task of contributing with the light of the Gospel to the building of a more human world, a world fully in harmony with God's plan.

"Many problems darken the horizon of our time. We need but think of the urgent need to work for peace, to base relationships between peoples on solid premises of justice and solidarity, and to defend human life from conception to its natural end. And what should we say of the thousand inconsistencies of a 'globalized' world where the weakest, the most powerless and the poorest appear to have so little hope! It is in this world that Christian hope must shine forth! For this reason too, the Lord wished to remain with us in the Eucharist, making his presence in meal and sacrifice the promise of a humanity renewed by his love. Significantly, in their account of the Last Supper, the Synoptics recount the institution of the Eucharist, while the Gospel of John relates, as a way of bringing out its profound meaning, the account of the 'washing of the feet', in which Jesus appears as the teacher of communion and of service (cf. Jn 13:1-20). The Apostle Paul, for his part, says that it is 'unworthy' of a Christian community to partake of the Lord's Supper amid division and indifference towards the poor (cf. 1 Cor 11:17-22, 27-34).³⁴

"Proclaiming the death of the Lord 'until he comes' (1 Cor 11:26) entails that all who take part in the Eucharist be committed to changing their lives and making them in a certain way completely 'Eucharistic'. It is this fruit of a transfigured existence and a commitment to transforming the world in accordance with the Gospel which splendidly illustrates the eschatological tension inherent in the celebration of the Eucharist and in the Christian life as a whole: 'Come, Lord Jesus!' (Rev 22:20)."

Note

³⁴ "Do you wish to honour the body of Christ? Do not ignore him when he is naked. Do not pay him homage in the temple clad in silk, only then to neglect him outside where he is cold and ill-clad. He who said: 'This is my body' is the same who said: 'You saw me hungry and you gave me no food', and 'Whatever you did to the least of my brothers you did also to me' . . . What good is it if the Eucharistic table is overloaded with golden chalices when your brother is dying of hunger. Start by satisfying his hunger and then with what is left you may adorn the altar as well": Saint John Chrysostom, In Evangelium S. Matthaei, hom. 50:3-4: PG 58, 508-509; cf. John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (30 December 1987), 31: AAS 80 (1988), 553-556.

"Salvation Belongs To Our God"

As we continue to love this week, I offer this version of "Salvation Belongs To Our God":

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of good books.

Br. Simon Teller, O.P., on Why It Is Important to Read

"'I don't read books … I go to Google, and I can absorb relevant information quickly.' - A Rhodes Scholar, as quoted in The Shallows

"Nicholas Carr chronicles this statement in The Shallows - a sociological commentary on the way the internet has shaped the human brain. Carr's thesis: Web-use has changed the way we relate to words. Screen-time breeds certain mental habits, which effect, among other things, the way we read. Carr notes that contemplative reading - the kind of reading that stays committed to narratives, arguments, and ideas - is falling out of vogue.  Instead, most reading takes the form of scanning text messages, scrolling through newsfeeds, skimming articles: in a word, power-reading.

"But to our Rhodes Scholar's point: power-reading has its advantages. Why waste time reading a book cover-to-cover, when the same information can be found by a few deft Google Books Searches? Does it really matter how we read, as long as we are coming away with the same information?"

In a recent commentary, Brother Simon Teller, O.P., reflected on how, because God has chosen to reveal himself in writing, the way we relate to words matters.

To access Br. Simon's complete post, please visit: 

Dominicana: Why read? (27 APR 20)

Reflection Starter from Corrie Ten Boom

"Any concern too small to be turned into a prayer is too small to be made into a burden." - Corrie Ten Boom

Coronavirus-related New England Municipal Government News Headlines

Recent news stories related to municipal government in New England (and issues being faced on the local level) include these articles:

CT: Connecticut towns try 'Eat Local - Win Local' promotions to help restaurants stay open during the coronavirus pandemic (Hartford Courant)

ME: Schools tailor 'remote learning' to students' needs (Lewiston Sun Journal)

MA: Hull restricts parking to residents only citing the coronavirus pandemic (The Patriot Ledger, Quincy)

NH: Swanzey buys ambulance to get through COVID-19 pandemic (Keene Sentinel)

RI: Providence planning to close some streets to cars (Providence Journal)

VT: Burlington city leaders set to address pandemic financial impact (WCAX-TV)

National: Local governments harness technology to adapt city services to coronavirus pandemic (American City & County)

Background information:

Town of Hull, MA

Town of Swanzey, NH

City of Providence, RI

City of Burlington, VT

Prayer Starter from Pope Francis

"Let us pray together for artists, who have a great capacity for creativity and show us the path forward through beauty. May the Lord grant each of us the grace of creativity in this moment." - Pope Francis

Pope John Paul II: Encyclical Letter Ecclesia de Eucharistia, Part 19

In 2003, on Holy Thursday, 2003. Pope John Paul II issued what would be his final encyclical: Ecclesia de Eucharistia, "On the Eucharist and Its Relationship to the Church." This encyclical contains much to prayerfully ponder/meditate on. The encyclical's Chapter One, The Mystery of Faith, continues as follows:

"19. The eschatological tension kindled by the Eucharist expresses and reinforces our communion with the Church in heaven. It is not by chance that the Eastern Anaphoras and the Latin Eucharistic Prayers honour Mary, the ever-Virgin Mother of Jesus Christ our Lord and God, the angels, the holy apostles, the glorious martyrs and all the saints. This is an aspect of the Eucharist which merits greater attention: in celebrating the sacrifice of the Lamb, we are united to the heavenly 'liturgy' and become part of that great multitude which cries out: 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb!' (Rev 7:10). The Eucharist is truly a glimpse of heaven appearing on earth. It is a glorious ray of the heavenly Jerusalem which pierces the clouds of our history and lights up our journey."

Pete Seeger: "Buffalo Gals"

Music of various types has been interwoven into the history of the United States (going back to the original thirteen colonies). Among this music is "Buffalo Gals", presented here by Pete Seeger:

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of mercy as shown by the outreach of Your people.

Fr. Patrick Briscoe, OP: on the Relationship between Mercy and Christianity

"As I write, a friar from my own Dominican community is in quarantine waiting to board the USNS Mercy. Commissioned in the Naval Reserves, this Dominican friar has been called up to serve as chaplain on board the 1,000-bed floating hospital. 

"One of our Manhattan priories has entirely re-envisioned the common life of the friars there in order to serve the sick. Taking extraordinary means to care for the souls in their charge, these brothers have made broad adaptations to our way of life in order to serve. A friar from that community even moved into a nursing home to care for residents.

"Dozens of friars have visited hospitals and nursing homes, offering the sick the sacraments, prayers and support. Friars have found innovative ways to hear confessions and developed new means of preaching and teaching. . . .

"And all of these efforts can be known by one simple name. They all belong to the crown jewel of Christian virtues: mercy."

In a recent commentary, Father Patrick Briscoe, O.P., reflected on the relationship between Christianity and the virtue of mercy.

To access Fr Patrick's complete post, please visit:

Aleteia: Fr. Patrick Briscoe, OP: Mercy. Christianity: The two words are practically interchangeable (16 APR 20)

Editor's note: Myrna and I are parishioners at Saint Pius V Parish, where Fr. Patrick is currently serving.

Reflection Starter from Og Mandino

"Never neglect the little things. Never skimp on that extra effort, that additional few minutes, that soft word of praise or thanks, that delivery of the very best you can do. It does not matter what others think, it is of prime importance, however, what you think about it. You can never do your best, which should always be your trademark, if you are cutting corners and shirking responsibilities. You are special. Act on it. Never neglect the little things!" - Og Mandino

Prayer Starter from Pope Francis

"Let us pray together for all those who are suffering from sadness, because they are alone, do not know what future awaits them, or cannot take care of their family because they have no job. Let us pray for them today." - Pope Francis

Pope John Paul II: Encyclical Letter Ecclesia de Eucharistia, Part 18

In 2003, on Holy Thursday, 2003. Pope John Paul II issued what would be his final encyclical: Ecclesia de Eucharistia, "On the Eucharist and Its Relationship to the Church." This encyclical contains much to prayerfully ponder/meditate on. The encyclical's Chapter One, The Mystery of Faith, continues as follows: 

"18. The acclamation of the assembly following the consecration appropriately ends by expressing the eschatological thrust which marks the celebration of the Eucharist (cf. 1 Cor 11:26): 'until you come in glory'. The Eucharist is a straining towards the goal, a foretaste of the fullness of joy promised by Christ (cf. Jn 15:11); it is in some way the anticipation of heaven, the 'pledge of future glory'.³⁰ In the Eucharist, everything speaks of confident waiting 'in joyful hope for the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ'.³¹ Those who feed on Christ in the Eucharist need not wait until the hereafter to receive eternal life: they already possess it on earth, as the first-fruits of a future fullness which will embrace man in his totality. For in the Eucharist we also receive the pledge of our bodily resurrection at the end of the world: 'He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day' (Jn 6:54). This pledge of the future resurrection comes from the fact that the flesh of the Son of Man, given as food, is his body in its glorious state after the resurrection. With the Eucharist we digest, as it were, the 'secret' of the resurrection. For this reason Saint Ignatius of Antioch rightly defined the Eucharistic Bread as 'a medicine of immortality, an antidote to death'.³²

Notes

 

³⁰Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, Second Vespers, Antiphon to the Magnificat.

³¹Missale Romanum, Embolism following the Lord's Prayer.

³²Ad Ephesios, 20: PG 5, 661

"I Am the Bread of Life"

As we continue our Sunday celebration, I offer this version of Suzanne Toolan's "I Am the Bread of Life":

Third Sunday of Easter

Today the Church celebrates the Third Sunday of Easter (or Sunday of Divine Mercy). The assigned readings are Acts 2:14, 22-33; 1 Peter 1:17-21; and Luke 24:13-35. The Responsorial Psalm is from Psalm 16 (Psalm 16:1-2, 5. 7-11).

For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:

YouTube: You Will Show Us the Path of Life

The Gospel reading is as follows: 

That very day, the first day of the week, two of Jesus' disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. He asked them, "What are you discussing as you walk along?"

They stopped, looking downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?"

And he replied to them, "What sort of things?"

They said to him, "The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see."

And he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures.

As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. But they urged him, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over."

So he went in to stay with them. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?"

So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them who were saying, "The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!" Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of bread.

Reflections on these readings:

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sunday Reflections: Third Sunday of Easter (April 26, 2020)

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Third Sunday of Easter (April 26, 2020)

Community in Mission: Mass on the Move – A Homily for the 3rd Sunday of Easter (25 APR 20)

Rhode Island Catholic: The Quiet Corner: Time spent with Jesus through the Eucharist is a prime source of Christian consolation, reconciliation (23 APR 20)

Crossroads Initiative: Emmaus Road - from Despair to Joy in the Breaking of the Bread  
St. Paul Center: Emmaus and Us: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Third Sunday of Easter

Magis Center for Catholic Spirituality: Third Sunday of Easter

The Gregorian Institute at Benedictine College: This Sunday: Jesus Calls Out Our Discouragement (23 APR 20)

Word on Fire: Emmaus and Genesis (Cycle A * Easter * Week 3)

National Catholic Register: Sunday Guide: 'You Were Ransomed ... With the Precious Blood of Christ' (24 APR 20)

Spirituality of the Readings: There Is a Way (Third Sunday of Easter A)

In Exile: Living Beyond Our Crucifixions (Third Sunday of Easter A)

Glancing Thoughts: Knowing Jesus (Third Sunday of Easter A)

The Perspective of Justice: The Encounter (Third Sunday of Easter A)

Let the Scriptures Speak: Easter's Freedom (Third Sunday of Easter A)

The Word Embodied: The Testing of Faith (Third Sunday of Easter A)

Historical Cultural Context: Emmaus (Third Sunday of Easter A)

Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by a Twelfth Century Author (Third Sunday of Easter A)