Easter is not only a day we remember—it is a living reality we continue to receive. On this Third Sunday of Easter, the Church rejoices that the risen Lord Jesus is not distant or hidden. He is present with His people, drawing near through His living Word and making Himself known in His holy gifts.
St. Peter reminds us that “the word of the Lord remains forever.” From before the foundation of the world until heaven and earth pass away, this living and abiding Word proclaims one great truth: God has raised Jesus from the dead and given Him glory. By this Word, we have been born again—not by our own efforts, but through the precious blood of Christ, who has ransomed us from sin and death and given us eternal life.
This Word does more than inform us; it creates and sustains faith. In the reading from Acts, Peter’s sermon cuts his hearers to the heart and calls them to repentance. The promise that follows is rich and sure: “Repent and be baptized…for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” This promise is not confined to one moment in history. It is for you, for your children, and for all who are far off. In Holy Baptism, the risen Christ joins us to His death and resurrection and pours out His Spirit upon us.
The Gospel reading from Luke takes us onto the road to Emmaus, where two disciples walk in sorrow and confusion. Though their eyes are kept from recognizing Him, Jesus Himself walks with them. He opens the Scriptures, showing how everything points to the Christ who must suffer and then enter His glory. Their hearts burn within them as He speaks, even before they fully understand who is in their midst.
It is only later, when Jesus takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to them, that their eyes are opened. They know Him in the breaking of the bread. Though He vanishes from their sight, they are not abandoned. The risen Lord continues to be present with His Church in exactly these ways—through His Word and through His Supper.
That is why gathering for worship matters so deeply. The same risen Christ who walked with the disciples still comes to walk with us. This Sunday at 10:00 a.m., we gather in worship to hear the Scriptures opened, to receive the forgiveness He freely gives, and to know Him again in the breaking of the bread. Here, Christ meets us—not as a memory of the past, but as the living Lord who brings us into His glory.
As we continue our Easter journey, may the Lord open our minds to understand the Scriptures, warm our hearts with His Gospel, and strengthen us with His life‑giving gifts until the day we see Him face to face.
Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!