Third Sunday of Easter: A: April 19, 2026

 THE ROAD TO EMMAUS: From Despair to Joy

Introduction: Today we have a moving account of the risen Lord appearing and walking with two of His disciples on their way to Emmaus, a village seven Kms. away from Jerusalem. These two lost all their hopes and they are in need of the greatest gift on this side of heaven, that is to be filled with hope and to have faith in the risen Lord. The risen Lord joins them and shows them by opening the Scriptures that it was necessary for Him to die and enter into glory.

First Reading: Acts 2: 14 and 22 to 28

Second Reading: 1 Peter 1: 17 to 21

Gospel Reading: Luke 24: 13 to 35

   *First reading is from the Acts of the Apostles. A section of  St. Peter's sermon on Pentecost day is given. Filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter boldly proclaims that the crucified and risen Christ is indeed the promised Messiah. He affirms that the risen Lord is the Lord of the whole universe and saviour of the world. 

   *Second reading is from the first letter of St. Peter. Peter explains to the early Christian community that Jesus redeemed us by shedding His own blood on the cross. He urges us to have faith and hope in the risen Lord. He encourages us to respond with a life of holiness. 

Recognising the Lord at the Breaking of the bread                                      Today's Gospel reading is from St. Luke. The story of the two disciples who travelled to Emmaus on Easter Sunday evening is narrated. Their lives and dreams are shattered with the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Disheartened as they are, on their way the risen Lord joins them and explains to them why it was necessary for Him to die and enter into glory. Emmaus becomes a place of transformation when the two recognise the Lord at the breaking of the bread. But this recognition could only happen because they open their hearts to the stranger with confidence, love and hospitality with an invitation: "Stay with us." Taking the stranger to their home and sharing their meal with Him become the Eucharistic table. He blesses them and breaks the bread with them and their eyes are opened. When we allow others to have a place in our hearts, the risen Lord becomes real in our lives. We too become like the two disciples who returned from Emmaus with great joy and hope. In this context, M.P. Souza says: "The one who came and walked with them, the one who talked with them and disclosed Himself to them, preparing them to encounter Him as the Risen Lord, is the one who now opens their eyes to see Him in the breaking of the bread."

Conclusion: The Emmaus story is the story of our own lives. The risen Lord walks with us as a stranger when we are in deep pain and distress. He explains to us the meaning of our sufferings through the word of God and encourages us. Finally He reveals Himself to us through the Breaking of the bread: At the Eucharistic table. When Jesus breaks bread with the disciples at Emmaus, He uses the same words that He used at the Last Supper. 

May the risen Lord, who walked with the two disciples on their journey to Emmaus and encouraged them, bless you and lead you to recognise Him at the Breaking of the bread. Amen. 

(Kindly note: Sunday Reflections with Fr. Joy Joseph is available on YouTube. Please view, like, share and subscribe to the video version on YouTube. "YouTube/Sunday Reflections with Fr. Joy Joseph, April 19, 2026. Thanks.) 

Second Sunday of Easter: Divine Mercy Sunday, April 12, 2026

 THE RISEN LORD MEETS THE DOUBTING THOMAS

Introduction: Today we celebrate the feast of Divine Mercy as well as the Sunday of clearing doubts. Mercy and merciful are words which we speak from the heart and rightly so because we all need from time to time the experience of mercy and compassion not only from our neighbour but from the all-merciful God. We see something of that mercy shown by Jesus in today's Gospel. Apostle Thomas is unable to believe in the risen Lord. Merciful Jesus reaches out to him, asking him to touch Him. The celebration of Divine Mercy reminds us that outside the mercy of God, there is no other source of hope for humans. Everyday as we walk the difficult paths of life, let us too whisper as Thomas did that day: "My Lord and my God."

First Reading: Acts 2: 42 to 47

Second Reading: 1Peter 1: 3 to 9

Gospel Reading: John 20: 19 to 31

   *First reading is from the Acts of the Apostles. A glimpse of the life of the early Christian community is given. After their experience of the risen Lord in a powerful way, the people live as a community, one in heart and mind. Their exemplary life brings many non-believers to faith in Jesus. Their faith in the Lord leads them to a joyful fellowship. Hence the first Christian community expresses the depth of their faith by the fruits of fellowship and love. 

   *Second reading is from the first letter of St. Peter. Peter praises and glorifies the loving God for His great mercy in giving us a new birth in Jesus Christ. He thanks God for the blessings of faith, love and joy in the Lord. He instructs us: "Hope helps us to bear patiently the trials of this life."

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed                                           Today's Gospel reading is from St. John. The risen Lord's meeting with the unbelieving Thomas is narrated. Thomas, one of the twelve, was with Jesus during His public life. He witnesses the rejection of Jesus, His sufferings, crucifixion and shameful death on the cross. Like many others, Thomas too loses hope after the death of Jesus and goes away disheartened. But to his surprise, when he comes back on Easter Sunday, other disciples tell him about the exciting events of that morning. They tell him that Jesus appeared to Peter and others. In his disappointment and confusion, Thomas tells them: "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails and place my hands in His side, I will not believe." That same evening Jesus appears again to His disciples and Thomas too is present at that time. The risen Lord confronts Thomas for his unbelief. Jesus shows His hands and legs and His wounded side and tells Thomas to be believing. Realizing his folly, Thomas expresses his regret and faith by saying, "My Lord and my God." In this context G. A. Tyrell says, " It may be that Thomas' critical mind compelled Jesus to explain the teachings more deeply to him than to the other credulous disciples."

Conclusion: The story of Thomas is for all those people who were not present when the risen Lord appeared - that includes all of us - on Easter Sunday and did not see the Lord physically. Hence, Thomas became a key link between the age of the Apostles who saw the risen Lord with their own eyes and all the future disciples who will never see Jesus in this life and yet believe in Him.

May the risen Lord who clarified the doubts of Thomas and blessed him with His divine presence bless you and lead you to a deeper faith in Him. Amen 

(Kindly note: Sunday Reflections with Fr. Joy Joseph is available on YouTube. Please view, like, share and subscribe to the video version on YouTube. "YouTube/Sunday Reflections with Fr. Joy Joseph, April 12, 2026. Thanks.)

Easter Sunday : A: April 5, 2026

            CHRIST IS RISEN! ALLELUIA!

Introduction: Today we celebrate the feast of Easter: The resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the dead. It is the greatest and the most important of all the feasts for a believer for three reasons: 1. The resurrection of Jesus is the basis of our Christian faith. It is the greatest miracle. No one in the past, present or in the future can do what Jesus did on Easter Sunday. 2. Jesus' resurrection is the guarantee of our own resurrection after our earthly life. 3. Easter gives us hope and encouragement in this world of pain, sufferings and sorrows. The problems we face, the death we encounter finally, are not the end but we will live forever with the risen Lord. We need faith in the power of the risen Lord to overcome death and experience the resurrection. 

First Reading: Acts 10: 34 and 37 to 43

Second Reading: Colossians 3: 1 to 4

Gospel Reading: John 20: 1 to 9

   *First reading is from the Acts of the Apostles. A very powerful and convincing testimony by St. Peter regarding the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is given. He tells us that he is a witness to the life, death and finally resurrection of Jesus. He affirms that the risen Lord is the saviour of those who believe in Him. He is the judge of the living and of the dead. Everyone who believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sins. 

   *Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Colossians. Paul tells us that through our baptism we share in the risen life of Christ through a hidden and mysterious way. As members of the body of Christ, we share in the victory of Christ and become a new creation in Him. 

The empty tomb: The sign of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead                                          Today's Gospel reading is from St. John. How the disciples experience the presence of the risen Lord is elaborated. Gradually, the disciples come to the realization that Jesus who was crucified and died on Good Friday, is indeed risen from the dead. Early on Sunday morning, after the tragic and painful events on Friday, Mary Magdalene goes to visit the tomb of Jesus. It is still  dark and she is surprised and shocked to see that the stone which had covered the tomb is rolled away and the body of Jesus is not to be found. She is totally confused and runs to St. Peter and other disciples to tell them about the strange happenings. Immediately, Peter and John ran to the tomb only to find that the tomb is indeed empty and the body of Jesus cannot be located. Thus finding the empty tomb is the first sign that Jesus is risen from the dead. At first the disciples and others could not really believe that Jesus is indeed risen from the dead as He had told them. But gradually, they experience the presence of the risen Lord at various occasions. They come to the firm conviction that Jesus is indeed risen from the dead. The risen Lord later appears to several disciples individually and collectively and strengthens them in His risen and transformed form. To experience the presence of the risen Lord in our lives, we too need to go through the empty tomb experience. We need to empty ourselves of our pre-conceived ideas and thoughts: All that hold us away from the risen Lord. Then we too can break the barriers of doubts and experience the Lord. In this context Pope Benedict XVI says, "The resurrection, then is not a theory but a historical reality revealed by the man Jesus Christ by means of his 'Passover'- his 'passage' that has opened a 'new way' between heaven and earth. 

Conclusion: St. Nikolai comments, "By His resurrection Christ conquered sin and death, destroyed Satan's dark Kingdom, freed the enslaved human race and broke the seal on the greatest mysteries of God and men."

May the Risen Lord bless you abundantly and strengthen you to overcome all doubts, pains and losses of death. Amen.

(Kindly note: Sunday Reflections with Fr. Joy Joseph is available on YouTube. Please view, like, share and subscribe to the video version on YouTube. "YouTube/Sunday Reflections with Fr. Joy Joseph, April 5, 2026. Thanks.)