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(4th May 2025) Homily for the Third Sunday of Easter

READ: (Acts 5:27-32, 40-41; Rev 5: 11-14; Jn 21: 1-19)

REFLECT: Be a courageous, truthful and loving witnesses of God at all times…

Dear friends, we are in the third Sunday of Easter. The readings of the day invite each one of us to be witnesses of God in life. The term ‘Witness’ in a modern society can be considered in three ways; a witness to a signature on a will or a document; a witness to a crime or major event; there is also A religious sense of witness, someone who testifies to the truth to what he or she holds. I am sure all these three different ways of witness we have seen or witnesses in life. But what is most significant for us Christians is the religious sense of witness, which brings in commitment and alignment with the plan of God. The witnesses act as mediums between God and people. Today we are called to be witnesses to the truth revealed by God in Jesus Christ. The witnesses of Jesus are the apostles and disciples who have been with Jesus, seen, what Jesus has done and experienced with Jesus all that has happened from birth of Jesus till resurrection and ascension. This witnessing aspect involves commitment, conviction and courage. That’s what the liturgy of the word takes us closer. So based on the liturgy of the word, I would like to share with you three points of reflection.

1.     Be Courageous witnesses

One of the important qualities of bearing or being witnesses is courage. Courage to stand firm for values that are true and right. The courageous witness is ready to even risk their own life for the good of the people and the society, for the good of religious beliefs and sentiments. They voice out and speak for what is true and genuine. They never ever give up on such approaches for any matter. They stick on to it and they fight for until the justice is obtained or the good is done. That’s what Pope Francis would beautifully affirm, “The path of Christian courage is a grace given by the Holy Spirit”. That’s what we see in the First reading from the Acts of the Apostles. The apostles were ready to risk their life and were ready to suffer for the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ.

We see that the bold proclamation of the apostles although they have been warned by the high priests not to proclaim. The apostles were unstoppable and they had indomitable courage with which they proclaimed. They could not stop and no one could stop for the power the risen Lord and the power of his spirit was working through them. That’s what we hear the apostles say, “We are witnesses to these things (the resurrection of Jesus). We must obey God rather than men.” The apostles have hear of Jesus fortelling them about his resurrection and they have now witnesses. So nothing could deter them but they were completely determined to make known the message of Christ to people. The power of the risen Christ was so powerful that they became fierce proclaimers of God’s word. That’s what we hear from the first reading that after they left the council, the apostle went rejoicing to suffer for the sake of Christ, although the apostles were beaten.

Today, the world lacks courageous people and Catholic Church too lack courageous witnesses. We as Catholics and Christians are called to be witnesses with courage and determination to proclaim God’s word. But we lack courage or lose courage. It is because people who voice out for the good of the people in the society experience unjust punishments; they are cornered in the society or community; at times they are even targeted, tormented and tortured. However, our sufferings and delayed justice need not to be the criteria for us to manifest lack of courage or lose courage to be witnesses of God’s work in our world. Today, let us realize that the power of the risen Christ is in each one of us and we are called to be courageous witness like the apostles who could not stop but continued the mission of Christ courageously. The apostles, without minding the fear and tragedy of what is to come, they proclaimed God’s word; they believed in the work of the spirit, for the spirit of God will make them powerful. So let us pray that we too become courageous witnesses of the Gospel of Christ in our world.

2.     Be true Witnesses of the truth;

The phrase “be true witnesses of the truth” is a divine call and yet a powerful call to integrity, courage, and authenticity. It manifests not only recognizing and understanding the truth but also living it out, standing up for it, and testifying to it even when it's inconvenient or costly, hurtful and painful. Here there is no question of words but action, good character and consistency in bearing witness to the truth. Thus being a witness to the truth would mean that we live with honesty and integrity and life reflects it in words and deeds. One is honest even when it is familiar people or unfamiliar, uncomfortable or convenient. The one who bears witness to the truth would stand firm for truth in the face of falsity, persecution, injustice and corruption.

Pope Francis very beautifully points out, “Let us ask ourselves: what truth do the works of us Christians attest to, our words, our choices?”  “Everyone can ask themselves: am I a witness to the truth, or am I more or less a liar disguised as a true person?” “Truth is a marvelous revelation of God, of his Father’s face, and his boundless love.”  The question, “what is truth?” is what Pontius Pilate asked Jesus when he questioned him about his kingship before handing him over to the Jewish people to be crucified. Jesus said: “For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.” Jesus gives this “testimony” that through his manner of suffering and dying, “Jesus manifests the Father, his merciful and faithful love.” Yes, the truth that the witnesses testify is Jesus is the king and Lord of the universe. He has control over everything. Therefore, all honor, praise, glory and majesty belongs to him and be given to him.

That’s what we find in the Second Reading from the book of revelation, where Jesus is enthroned as king and the angels and saints are in praise and worship of the Lord. Just as angels and saints witness Jesus as the king of all to whom all honor, worship belongs. We are also called to witness in our lives that Jesus is the king of all and ruler of our hearts. Therefore, we need to worship, glorify God by our way of living. The witnesses of God accept Jesus as the king of heaven and earth and thus pay homage to him in all sincerity and authenticity. The one who cannot accept Jesus as King cannot be his witnesses, because acknowledging Jesus as King proves that we accept Jesus as the master of life and he has power over us in every way. Today, many of us are not ready to accept Jesus as true King, who is the basis of all truth and freedom. It is because we have joined falsehood and appraisal of self. Let us pray today that we accept Jesus as true Lord and Savior, bear witness to Jesus, the truth, who sets us free from all falsehood and perversion of life.

3.     Be a loving Witnesses of God’s love

We all of us know that to be a loving witness of God’s love would mean a life that reflects resembles the character of God by ways of compassion, kindness, forgiveness and grace. It is not that we speak about God’s love rather we manifest God’s love and act on God’s love with the people entrusted to our care and with whom we have been surrounded with. We exemplify the compassionate face of God so that others can experience the love of God through us. That’s what Pope Francis would say, “Witnesses do not lose themselves in words, but rather they bear fruit.”  “They do not complain about others and the world, but they start with themselves. They remind us that God is not to be demonstrated, but shown; not announced with proclamations but shown by example.”

Yes, something similar ray of light we have in the gospel reading of the day. “Do you love me?” was the question asked by Jesus to Peter three times, who denied Jesus three times at the hour of his  passion that he did not know Jesus. Peter who denied Jesus three times now affirms thrice Jesus that he would love Jesus all the more. Jesus three times tells Peter and gets his affirmation and makes him strong, entrusts him greater, larger and a trust worthy responsibility.  That’s why Jesus says to Peter, “Feed my lambs, tend my sheep and Feed my sheep.”

While we reflect, who are these lambs and sheep, we come to knowledge and truth that we the followers of Christ are the lambs and sheep. In fact, feeding the lambs and sheep were the primary task given by risen Jesus to Peter and yet tending the sheep was another important task entrusted to Peter. So feeding and tending refer to the safety and security, strength and growth that the followers of Jesus need. Today we too have lots of lambs and sheep who are astray, stolen, neglected, ignored, and denied. Jesus asks us to feed and tend them to bring back to the fold. Yes, our love to God can be expressed in feeding the lambs and sheep and taking care of the sheep that have strayed or gone astray.

Let us remember the words of Jesus in Matt 25:40, whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers and sister that you do unto me. Let us realize that the lambs and sheep need God’s love and cane and can we be the medium of God’s expression of love to those that are astray. So let us feed the lambs and sheep of Christ and tend the sheep, who are brothers and sisters in the Lord and us as well. The right place to start witnessing is where we are. That’s what Pope Francis says, “We are called to bear witness to Jesus right where we live, in our families, at work, everywhere, even just by giving the light of a smile, a light that is not our own it comes from Jesus.” Yes, the key to this witness is not shining our own light, but by reflecting the light of Jesus. In order to be a loving witness of  God requires that we live out love in daily actions, helping others, being patient and manifesting God’s  merciful face to the other; loving witness of  God requires forgiving  freely and multiple times; loving witness of God would mean that we become empathetic to  all sections of the  society.

Today we need to realize that a loving witness of God draws people not by mere preaching but by the quality of live in authenticity, which is geared, empowered and transformed by love. If we wish to see a transformed world, we need to pour true love on humanity. The true love comes from God, who is all love and compassion. So let us pray that we become courageous witnesses of God in our proclamation; let us pray that we become true witnesses of God to the truth revealed by Jesus Christ. Let us pray that we become loving witnesses of God in giving our love to our brothers and sisters in the world.

RESPOND:

Are we courageous enough to bear witness to Christ in our lives at all times?

Are we authentic enough to bear witness to Jesus, who is true, truth himself even if it demands suffering and painful hardships?

Are we ready to transform the world by being a living witness of God by acts of love, mercy and kindness?

Let us be courageous and authentic witness to bear witness to God by living out God’s love and compassion with one another. Amen.

God bless us all! Live Jesus!