Third Sunday of Easter 

April 18, 2021

In our first reading, from the Acts of the Apostles, we see Peter standing up and challenging the Jewish leaders who crucified our Lord. He says: “You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be released to you. “In other words, they chose the world over Christ. Sadly, there are many Catholics who would rather follow the teachings of the secular world, rather than those of the Lord Jesus. They have no problem trading Him for carnal ideas.

A couple weeks ago the Vatican reiterated the orthodox and traditional teaching that marriage is between one man and one woman, and as a result, the Church cannot bless “same sex unions.” Many Catholics, both laity and clergy, were upset and even outraged at this upholding of the Church’s authentic teaching regarding marriage. Sadly, they would rather choose the unholy and perverted secular “gospel” as opposed to serving God and following Jesus Christ with their whole hearts, bodies, minds and souls. We must remember that in the very first centuries of the Church, when people were baptized, they not only laid down their worldly goods and their material possessions, but more importantly, they surrendered their hearts and their minds to follow Jesus and His commandments without reservation. Regretfully today many Christians and Catholics want to force secular ideas and political expediency upon Christ and His Church. They want the Church to change and accept their perverted lifestyles. The reality is that if they want real change then they must do what the Lord has called all of us to do — repent. We must have a change of heart, not a change of theology. Real change only occurs when we change our hearts and minds to follow the Lord Jesus and all His commandments —unreservedly.