Reading 1
Acts 3:13-15, 17-19
Peter said to the people: “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence when he had decided to release him. You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses. Now I know, brothers, that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did; but God has thus brought to fulfillment what he had announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer.  Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away.”

Reading II
1 Jn 2:1-5a
 My children, I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin.  But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one.  He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.  The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments. Those who say, “I know him”, but do not keep his commandments are liars, and the truth is not in them. But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him.
 
Gospel
Lk 24:35-48
The two disciples recounted what had taken place on the way, and how Jesus was made known to them  in the breaking of bread.
 
While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of baked fish;  he took it and ate it in front of them.
 
He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.
In today’s first reading, we see Peter with great courage confronting the people of their part that they took in the death of Jesus.  “You killed the author of life.  But God has raised him.”  However, we see also that Peter goes on to excuse them because they acted out of ignorance.  I think here, Peter was inspired by that beautiful prayer and powerful prayer of Jesus when he was dying.
 
“Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing”. 
 
Therefore, Peter urged the people to repent and he continues to urge us to repent because it is in that repentance that our sins will be forgiven. 
 
In the second reading, St. John says that the only proof that we can show that we know God, is by keeping his commandments.  But when we fail, as most of us do, we should not be discouraged.  We should turn to Jesus; we should turn to Christ.  We need only to gain that courage, that strength to go to him.  And may I remind you to go also for confession.  This is just a reminder. 
 
Today’s Gospel reminds me of a story I heard about a little girl who had lots of trouble going to bed and getting to sleep at night.  Upstairs, there would be a story, and then her prayers and it was still difficult for that little girl.  As the mother walked towards the door, the little girl called out, shouted, “Mommy, I am afraid of the dark”.  The mother said, “Honey, there is nothing to be afraid of.  You know that God is right here with you”.  The cute little girl answered, “I know that God is right here with me, but I need somebody with skin on.” 
 
The disciples acted like that little girl.  They wanted someone with skin on and Jesus did exactly that.  “Look at my hands.  Touch me and see.”  Jesus’ hands did tell a good story.  They were a proof beyond any doubt that he was not a ghost.  There was no doubt about his identity.  Therefore, Jesus allowed himself to be touched by his disciples.  And don’t we touch Jesus in the Eucharist?  It is in the breaking of the bread that Jesus gives us a peace which he gave to his disciples when he said to them, “Peace be with you.”  They needed that peace.  We also need that peace because the world in which we are living in is a world, which is, I would say, full of tears and fear.  We are afraid of so many things.  You will allow me to mention just a few?  Okay, I will continue. 
 
We are afraid, for instance, of the future, the unknown.  We are afraid of temptation.  We are afraid, even of the feelings and the opinions of others.  We are afraid of losing a job.  We are even afraid, I would say, of getting sick.  Some of us are even afraid of getting old. 
 
That reminds me of what Father John said to me one time.  He looked at my hair and he saw some white hair there.  He said, “Look Joshua, you are getting old.”  I said,  “I know Father, but you are even older.”  See, I try to excuse myself.  Some of us are even afraid of getting old.  Even that reminds me  of when I was watching television with Father one time.  We saw something like, I don’t know, if you get some medicine or whatever, or you go to a certain machine, you don’t get those wrinkles coming to you, you see.  You remain young and juvenile.  You see what I mean?  You know what I am talking about; you know where this technology has taken us.  We are afraid of such things.  But when such ideas, the fear and all that, come across our minds we should remember that Jesus is alive.  Jesus reassures us that God loves us.  Just as he gave that peace to his disciples, he continues to give us that peace, that peace of mind, that peace of heart. 
 
The gospel also tells us that the disciples had an experience of having their minds stretched to new horizons.  Jesus opened their minds to understand the scriptures.  We Catholics are known the world over for our specialization.  Do you know what it is?  Can anyone tell us what our specialization is?  Let me ask you now.  I want to see your smartness now.  Okay, over there, just any guess?  Shout.  No.  Guilt?  Over here?  Prayer. The Holy Mass, okay.  Over here? I’m still listening now to hear the correct answer.  What is our specialization as Catholics, you see?  We are known the world over for what is it?  You are so smart tell me. Forgiveness.  And over there. Tradition.  And the last group over there?  Oh, you are so smart. 
 
What other churches and even the world over are saying about you Catholics, about us Catholics, is that we don’t read the scriptures. That’s the right answer.  We don’t know the scriptures.  I think it is really a shame that if we could specialize in that then we are doing nothing.  So this year, if you have done anything, please try something, some Bible group or something; those that are doing that, I encourage it.  But if you haven’t done anything, please try something.  I know you haven’t done anything over there. No, it’s not only there but also there, I can see you there.
 
The great fathers of the church and the doctors of the church they say this.  For instance, St. Jerome would say, “Ignorance of the scriptures is ignorance of Christ.”  And St. John Chrysostom said, “To become adult Christians you must learn familiarity with scriptures.”  Our minds can be opened only if we read and meditate the scriptures.  When Jesus had given the disciples that peace, when he had opened their minds he sent them out.  He gave them that last instruction.  He said, “You are witnesses to these things.”  They were to go out and be witnesses.  And witnessing to Christ Jesus means testifying by our lives that the power of the risen Lord has completely changed and transformed us and we have become, as it were, a new people.
 
Witnessing to Jesus is letting Jesus fit through us to other people.  Witnessing to Jesus is letting divine life, divine love pass through us to other people.  And talking about this, it reminds me of someone who is defined as someone who is like a transparent glass letting light pass through.  We are not talking about that; now that is your field; you see, you know all that.  But an individual who lets divine life, divine love pass through him or her to other people.
 
And may God help us.