18 May 2024, Saturday of the 7th week of Easter
Acts 28, 16-20.30-31; John 21, 20-25
Homily
With the solemnity of Pentecost, which we celebrate tomorrow, the liturgical season of Easter comes to an end. In the Eucharistic celebrations of the last seven weeks, the first reading, generally taken from the Book of Acts, has introduced us to the witness of the first martyrs of the Faith and the life of the first Christian community in Jerusalem, followed by the preaching to the Nations beyond the Jewish world, and particularly the ministry of Paul. The reading of the Gospel has told us about the appearances of Jesus to his disciples during this /period; and, since the beginning of the last week, we have been reading the chapters of the Gospel of John relating the words of Jesus to his disciples during the last meal he had with them and his long prayer to his Father during this same meal. So it was only natural that, on this last day of Paschal Time before Pentecost, we should read the last verses of the Acts of the Apostles and the last verses of John's Gospel.