THE UNIVERSALITY OF THE EASTER JOY.
April 18, 2021 Third Sunday of Easter - B. Readings: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19 ; Ps 4:2, 4, 7-8, 9 ; 1 Jn 2:1-5a ; Lk 24:35-48 . A Chinese proverb says, “When a large vessel has opened a way it is easy for a small one to follow.” And an Ethiopian proverb adds, “A hyena intrudes through a gap a dog opened.” The resurrection of Christ brings about great joy. But that joy is not only for the Jewish people neither for the restricted group of disciples alone. It is a joy to be shared by all who hear about it. This Easter joy comes from the fact that in Jesus, we all are forgiven of our sins and made children of God by adoption. We said in the opening prayer: “May your people exult forever, O God, in renewed youthfulness of spirit, so that, rejoicing now in the restored glory of our adoption, we may look forward in confident hope to the rejoicing of the day of resurrection.” That Easter joy gets all its meaning when we measure what the resurrection of Christ br...