ALIVE IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH.

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER. YEAR B.
April 26, 2009.
(First reading: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19) (Psalm 4:2, 4, 7-9)
(Second reading: 1 John 2:1-5) (Gospel: Luke 24:35-48)


ALIVE IN HEAVEN
AND ON EARTH.

The resurrection is the restoration of eternal life for the human race, the fulness of our physical and spiritual being. In other words, resurrection is the convergence of our earthly and heavenly life.

The gospel today presents a risen Jesus who is alive both in heaven and on earth; to prove it, Jesus shows us his fresh wounds, eats in front of his disciples, speaks of peace (Luke 24:36-43).

Furthermore, to believe in the resurrection means to believe that Jesus' life is also our life.

To deny that Jesus has both earthly and heavenly life is the equivalent of denying the resurrection.
- Those who deny that Jesus is alive in heaven may do it because they may say there is no evidence of it or because they just do not care.

- Those who deny that Jesus in alive here on earth, do it in two ways: By their actions and by their omissions.
1. Those who deny the resurrection by their actions are those who destroy or oppressed other human beings. The Book of the Acts of the Apostles referring to them says: "You put to death the author of life" (Acts 3:15).

2. Those who deny the resurrection by their omissions are those who fail or refuse to see their evil acts, or selectively "see" only certain forms of evil, for instance, "sexual evil" while remaining totally blind to the evils of war, social injustice and other grave social evils.

May we all be able to see that the risen Jesus is alive both on heaven and on earth.