The Third Sunday of Easter continues the Church's fifty-day celebration of the Resurrection. The Gospel readings during Eastertide focus on Jesus' post-resurrection appearances, deepening our understanding of what it means that Christ is risen.
The Gospels for this Sunday typically recount one of Jesus' appearances to his disciples after the resurrection. These narratives emphasize that the resurrection was real—not a vision or spiritual experience, but a bodily rising from the dead.
One of the most beloved resurrection stories is the encounter on the road to Emmaus:
"When he had sat down at the table with them, he took the bread and gave thanks. Breaking it, he gave it to them. Their eyes were opened and they recognized him; then he vanished out of their sight." — Luke 24:30-31
Jesus is recognized in the breaking of bread—an experience that continues every time the Church gathers for Eucharist.
Another common reading recounts Jesus' appearance by the Sea of Tiberias, where he prepared breakfast for the disciples and restored Peter with the threefold question: "Do you love me?"
"So when they got out on the land, they saw a fire of coals there, with fish and bread laid on it." — John 21:9, 12
Throughout Eastertide, the first reading comes from Acts rather than the Old Testament. We hear how the early Church proclaimed the resurrection with power and how the community of believers grew.
The Easter season invites us to live as resurrection people—not merely remembering an event from the past but experiencing the ongoing presence of the risen Lord. Christ is not just risen; he is here, now, alive.
Easter is not a single day but a fifty-day season extending to Pentecost. The joy of resurrection cannot be contained. We are an Alleluia people, and Alleluia is our song!