APRIL 19, 2026
Third Sunday of Easter
Acts 2: 14, 22-33
Psalm 16
1 Peter 1:17-21
Luke 24: 13-35
So Close. Yet So Far.
There they are. Two of Jesus’ disciples walking with Him on the road to Emmaus. A famous story indeed. They are speaking with Jesus. They are sharing the experiences they had with the Lord during His earthly ministry. Yes, they are telling Jesus all about Himself. Ironically, they chided Him for his seeming ignorance to “the things that took place…” They are walking away from Jerusalem. Walking away from Jerusalem is
biblical code language for walking away from the faith.
They were so close yet so far from Him. But what opens their eyes? It is the Eucharist! The Holy Mass.
“And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took the 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.” Lk. 24
Anyone who accepts the Bible as containing the Truth has to come to believe in the Eucharist. That is, that he gave us his Body and Blood in the form of bread and wine at the Last Supper! The words used by Luke in this passage are those already being used in the early Church in Mass. These words are still used today in the canon of the Mass. In the Last Supper, Jesus told us to do this in Remembrance of him. In biblical terms, remembrance means to continue this until the end of time. It is an ongoing presence of the Lord.
Brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ gave us his Body and Blood as the Eucharist because He wants to (present tense) have an everlasting, intimate relationship with us. It is a relationship that enters into each person and draws each person closer together with each person of Faith.
Luke tells this story to emphasize the very fact of Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist. Luke understood the Eucharist to be necessary as a means to hold the Faith Community together as Church. WE are Church as we sit around the “Table of the Lord”. The Holy Mass is the central act of Christian worship from which all other moral act of humanity flow. And it all happens in community.
In today’s psalm, Psalm 16, we make the statement, “Lord, you will show us the path of life.” We exhort, “keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge; I say to the Lord, “My Lord are you.”
People, we recognize God in the signs and symbols He has given us throughout time. These culminated in the form of the Eucharist, his Body and Blood! Our ancestors in the Faith knew this! They write of it. This knowledge of the Lord is all over the scriptures.
Keeping close to the Lord spread the Church in its earliest days. One hears the urgency of this desire throughout the Acts of the Apostles as the Good News spread.
I speak with the same urgency today. To you born into the Roman Catholic Church and those who have come into its fulness in later days, be alert. Some Roman Catholics today are lacking in the understanding and acceptance of what Jesus gave us as the gift of Himself. Do not allow your clear vision of the Lord’s presence fade with time. Do not walk away from Jerusalem. Do not walk away from the gift of Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist! Do not head out to Emmaus.
To my Christian brothers and sisters from whom we are separated, come to the fulness of the Church on earth as Jesus intended. He wants us around the table of his Body and Blood. Over the course of history, through our strife and sin, we have distanced ourselves from each other. In time, disagreements drove us apart. In the Protestant Movement, which had many legitimate concerns, the Eucharist and understanding of Sacramentality was left behind. The sacramental presence of Jesus was lost. That is the very gift he gave to us to unify us.
Thus, brothers and sisters, one may be so close to Jesus and yet so far never recognizing him even in the Breaking of the Bread. Let our eyes and hearts be opened. Let us burn with the desire to be one with each other in Jesus Christ, around his table. Let us turn and run back to the Church, to Jerusalem, the Holy City set on a hill.
They were so close yet so far from Him. But what opens their eyes? It is the Eucharist! The Holy Mass.
“And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took the 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.” Lk. 24
Anyone who accepts the Bible as containing the Truth has to come to believe in the Eucharist. That is, that he gave us his Body and Blood in the form of bread and wine at the Last Supper! The words used by Luke in this passage are those already being used in the early Church in Mass. These words are still used today in the canon of the Mass. In the Last Supper, Jesus told us to do this in Remembrance of him. In biblical terms, remembrance means to continue this until the end of time. It is an ongoing presence of the Lord.
Brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ gave us his Body and Blood as the Eucharist because He wants to (present tense) have an everlasting, intimate relationship with us. It is a relationship that enters into each person and draws each person closer together with each person of Faith.
Luke tells this story to emphasize the very fact of Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist. Luke understood the Eucharist to be necessary as a means to hold the Faith Community together as Church. WE are Church as we sit around the “Table of the Lord”. The Holy Mass is the central act of Christian worship from which all other moral act of humanity flow. And it all happens in community.
In today’s psalm, Psalm 16, we make the statement, “Lord, you will show us the path of life.” We exhort, “keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge; I say to the Lord, “My Lord are you.”
People, we recognize God in the signs and symbols He has given us throughout time. These culminated in the form of the Eucharist, his Body and Blood! Our ancestors in the Faith knew this! They write of it. This knowledge of the Lord is all over the scriptures.
Keeping close to the Lord spread the Church in its earliest days. One hears the urgency of this desire throughout the Acts of the Apostles as the Good News spread.
I speak with the same urgency today. To you born into the Roman Catholic Church and those who have come into its fulness in later days, be alert. Some Roman Catholics today are lacking in the understanding and acceptance of what Jesus gave us as the gift of Himself. Do not allow your clear vision of the Lord’s presence fade with time. Do not walk away from Jerusalem. Do not walk away from the gift of Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist! Do not head out to Emmaus.
To my Christian brothers and sisters from whom we are separated, come to the fulness of the Church on earth as Jesus intended. He wants us around the table of his Body and Blood. Over the course of history, through our strife and sin, we have distanced ourselves from each other. In time, disagreements drove us apart. In the Protestant Movement, which had many legitimate concerns, the Eucharist and understanding of Sacramentality was left behind. The sacramental presence of Jesus was lost. That is the very gift he gave to us to unify us.
Thus, brothers and sisters, one may be so close to Jesus and yet so far never recognizing him even in the Breaking of the Bread. Let our eyes and hearts be opened. Let us burn with the desire to be one with each other in Jesus Christ, around his table. Let us turn and run back to the Church, to Jerusalem, the Holy City set on a hill.
Peace and blessings,
Father Bob
Father Bob
Father Bob's
Video Reflections
Each week Father Bob posts a Video Reflection on the Spiritual readings for the weekend Mass. These Videos are not intended to replace your prescence at mass each week! Much like Scripture Sharing on Thursday evening from 7 pm - 8 pm, these videos act as a point of reference to enhance your knowledge and better prepare you to participate in each weeks celebration.
Each week the videos are archive and can be streamed by clicking on the Bulletin/Videos button above.
Each week the videos are archive and can be streamed by clicking on the Bulletin/Videos button above.
Pray the Devine Mercy:
“For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”
The Jesus Prayer...
"Lord Jesus Christ
have Mercy on me a Poor Sinner." (pray repeatedly)
have Mercy on me a Poor Sinner." (pray repeatedly)
Click on the links below for more information
This Week's Scripture Readings
Reading I
Acts 2:14a, 36-41
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven,
raised his voice, and proclaimed:
"Let the whole house of Israel know for certain
that God has made both Lord and Christ,
this Jesus whom you crucified."
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart,
and they asked Peter and the other apostles,
"What are we to do, my brothers?"
Peter said to them,
"Repent and be baptized, every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is made to you and to your children
and to all those far off,
whomever the Lord our God will call."
He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them,
"Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."
Those who accepted his message were baptized,
and about three thousand persons were added that day.
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Acts 2:14a, 36-41
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven,
raised his voice, and proclaimed:
"Let the whole house of Israel know for certain
that God has made both Lord and Christ,
this Jesus whom you crucified."
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart,
and they asked Peter and the other apostles,
"What are we to do, my brothers?"
Peter said to them,
"Repent and be baptized, every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is made to you and to your children
and to all those far off,
whomever the Lord our God will call."
He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them,
"Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."
Those who accepted his message were baptized,
and about three thousand persons were added that day.
BACK TO TOP
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 23
R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
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Psalm 23
R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
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Reading II
1 Peter 1:17-21
Beloved:
If you invoke as Father him who judges impartially
according to each one's works,
conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning,
realizing that you were ransomed from your futile conduct,
handed on by your ancestors,
not with perishable things like silver or gold
but with the precious blood of Christ
as of a spotless unblemished lamb.
He was known before the foundation of the world
but revealed in the final time for you,
who through him believe in God
who raised him from the dead and gave him glory,
so that your faith and hope are in God.
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1 Peter 1:17-21
Beloved:
If you invoke as Father him who judges impartially
according to each one's works,
conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning,
realizing that you were ransomed from your futile conduct,
handed on by your ancestors,
not with perishable things like silver or gold
but with the precious blood of Christ
as of a spotless unblemished lamb.
He was known before the foundation of the world
but revealed in the final time for you,
who through him believe in God
who raised him from the dead and gave him glory,
so that your faith and hope are in God.
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Alleluia
John 10:14 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my sheep, and mine know me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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John 10:14 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my sheep, and mine know me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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Gospel
John 10:1-10
Jesus said:
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate
but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.
But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice,
as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he has driven out all his own,
he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him,
because they recognize his voice.
But they will not follow a stranger;
they will run away from him,
because they do not recognize the voice of strangers."
Although Jesus used this figure of speech,
the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.
So Jesus said again, "Amen, amen, I say to you,
I am the gate for the sheep.
All who came before me are thieves and robbers,
but the sheep did not listen to them.
I am the gate.
Whoever enters through me will be saved,
and will come in and go out and find pasture.
A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy;
I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly."
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John 10:1-10
Jesus said:
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate
but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.
But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice,
as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he has driven out all his own,
he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him,
because they recognize his voice.
But they will not follow a stranger;
they will run away from him,
because they do not recognize the voice of strangers."
Although Jesus used this figure of speech,
the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.
So Jesus said again, "Amen, amen, I say to you,
I am the gate for the sheep.
All who came before me are thieves and robbers,
but the sheep did not listen to them.
I am the gate.
Whoever enters through me will be saved,
and will come in and go out and find pasture.
A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy;
I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly."
BACK TO TOP