O FOOLISH MEN…

Acts 3:1-10

1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at that gate of the temple which is called Beautiful to ask alms of those who entered the temple. 3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms. 

4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, with John, and said, “Look at us.” 

5 And he fixed his attention upon them, expecting to receive something from them. 

6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but I give you what I have; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 

7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up he stood and walked and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 

Luke 24:13-35

13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 

14 and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 

15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation which you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 

18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 

19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 

21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since this happened. 

22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning 

23 and did not find his body; and they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 

24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb, and found it just as the women had said; but him they did not see.” 25 And he said to them, “O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 

26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He appeared to be going further, 29 but they constrained him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 

30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight. 

32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven gathered together and those who were with them, 34 who said, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

MEDITATION

THE FIRST READING describes the story of a man who appeared to have accepted his debilitated lame condition such that his motives or reasons for visiting the temple had nothing to do with his faith and belief in God never mind the hope of obtaining healing. It is possible that initially the man hoped to receive a miraculous healing, but this hope and belief devolved into a pitiful state of being a daily beggar who used his limitations as a means to receive sympathy to obtain financial gain.

Peter was able to correctly discern that what the man sought was not what he actually needed and proceeded to restore the man’s  dignity by giving him the ability to walk and go out to do an honest day’s work to feed himself and living his life by trustong in Christ rather than feeding off the sympathy and charity of others.

St LUKE’S GOSPEL ACCOUNT tells the story of two men who attended the temple passover event where they also witnessed the crucifixion of Christ Jesus and became aware that Christs tomb was found empty on the third day.Our Lord join the men along their journey home and observed their sad demeanor. Upon enquiry Jesus became aware of the incident that led to their pitiful state.In an effort to illuminate their darkened mind our Lord catechised the men by citing the OT scriptures that prefigured the Messiah’s death and resurrection,but alas these devout men were not able to associate and connect the crucifixion and empty tomb with the OT prophecies,such that their state of sadness and disappointment darkened their sense of reasoning to be objective in their search to come to know the truth. Someone recently said, a wise man is gifted to consider the merits of a proposition, whereas a foolish man generally is bound to dismiss a proposition without considering the merits of the argument.

The men expressed their concern for this ‘stranger’ who still had a long way to travel and offered him accommodation for the night as well as a meal to share with them at the table. Their gift of charity set in motion God’s saving grace that illuminated their sense and sensibilities when they recognized the solemn liturgical prayer and actions that accompanied the breaking of the bread ritual which graced them with the divine privilege to be fed the body and blood of Christ Jesus!Jn 6:53-58  Those who say that they believe in Christ, but suggest or teach that our Lord spoke in symbolic terms are foolish to the extent that they do not believe the words of Christ as enumerated in sacred scripture based on their traditions of men which is a cause of spiritual paralysis. May they recognize the gospel truth!

Eucharistic miracles. https://youtu.be/dhfx3PGxcS4

Eucharistic miracles click here:https://youtu.be/wKJWrXGOqoc.

LET US PRAY: Psalms 105:1-4,6-9

1 O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples! 

2 Sing to him, sing praises to him, tell of all his wonderful works! 

3 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! 

4 Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his presence continually! 

6 O offspring of Abraham his servant, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! 

7 He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth. 

8 He is mindful of his covenant for ever, of the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations, 

9 the covenant which he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac,

Catholic Witness Apostolate             catholicwitnessct@gmail.com    Henry R SYLVESTER              

Note: The daily scripture readings are taken from the Roman Missal which the Catholic Church use in the daily Celebration of the Holy Eucharist throughout the world.Some readings may differ because of the celebration of local feast days of saints around the world.