Second Sunday of Easter (B)
Eight days later, Jesus came.
The Word This Week
After the joys and exuberance of Easter Sunday and Easter Week, we settle down into the longest Season in the Churchs Year - Eastertide. This period of fifty days is a time of sustained gladness, which comes through reading and reflecting on the Scriptures which describe the risen life of Jesus - not just his appearances to the disciples after the Resurrection, but the teachings from his ministry which reveal the risen life he now possesses. We also spend time hearing about how the Resurrection made a difference: how the timid and frightened disciples were able to leave
Notes for Readers
First
This is a very simple reading, but one that, for our congregations, can be very powerful. When the Church was young, it seems to have been a powerful community, where the virtues of selflessness and generosity were practised in the most complete way. Be sure not to let the simplicity of this reading disguise the powerful message. So first of all, take your time: there are three paragraphs - pause between each one, to allow the words to sink in. In the first paragraph, lean on the words no one and everything they owned. In the second paragraph, emphasise with great power - think about how this power would have shown itself in their lives and preaching. Finally, in the third paragraph, try to imagine this way of life in your own town or city - and if this creates a sense of wonder that they could do it, all the better! If you read with a sense of great wonder at this life of the young Christian Church, your listeners too will share a sense of wonder.
Second
The theme of this (much harder) reading is faith. We read it because this is the period of Mystagogy, a word which describe the ongoing catechesis that new Catholics receive at this time. They have been baptised and received into the Church, and now share our faith. We read
Wordsearch
Click on the link to get this Easter Wordsearch. Feel free to copy and paste it into your parish publications.