THE BIBLE – DISCOVERY YEAR 07 WITH LUKE’S GOSPEL 
COMMENT  FOR EASTER 3 – 22-04-07 
Revelation 5: 11-14 
The writer is working as a forced labourer on the Island of Patmos, and is encouraging people, who like him, are suffering rejection by the community for their faith. In Jewish and Christian symbolism the Lamb slaughtered is always redemptive.  But now it is also central to the new creation.  Imagine the words of this song lifting the spirits of all believing in God’s victory – a reality outside the comprehension of their persecutors.
Psalm 30 
This is a poem explaining the feeling of being once secure and then brought close to death. The writer is delivered by the grace of God, which inspires the heartfelt response of praise and thanksgiving.  Such a rich symbolism is readily used in liturgy because it affirms being made in the image and likeness of God, means spiritual growth and understanding.
Acts 9: 1-20 
Saul, with a kind of police force, sets out on foot through Galilee on the 140 mile journey to Damascus. (William Barclay).  He would go over and over in his mind the long speech of Stephen, including the memory of how he died.  Suddenly it all made sense, and such was the dramatic crisis of body and spirit, he had to be led by the hand into the city. Ananias was caught up in the spiritual energy of this event and welcomed the erstwhile persecutor of Christians into the resurrected life of Jesus.
John 21: 1-19 
This is a crucial passage in the forty day ministry of Jesus between the resurrection and Pentecost.  Perhaps the disciples, feeling a bit lost, went back to their old life.  But they had moved beyond the failures and successes of that past life.  Jesus now asks Peter about his real commitment. Three times the question is asked,  with variations in the depth of his love and what will now be his mission, because with the resurrected Christ he will have much to do.
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