Two Sunday's past, we celebrated Easter -- the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Since then many of the gospel readings have been from their final chapters telling us of the resurrected Christ and His encounters with the Apostles and His disciples. And we've also read many passages from the beginning chapters of the Acts of the Apostles describing their experiences. We've read how afraid and full of doubt they were after the Ascent of Jesus into Heaven. But also how the power of the Holy Spirit gave them courage and strengthened their faith.

In today's first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we hear St. Peter glorifying Jesus as if there were never any doubt in his mind that Jesus Christ was the Son of God -- the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament. At one time he hadn't the courage to admit to a maid that he was a disciple of Jesus, denying he even knew Jesus at all -- yet now we hear him so emboldened -- he admonishes an entire crowd of Israelites in the temple in the area called "Solomon's Portico". He accuses them, out of their own ignorance, of first denying and then having put to death at the hands of Pilate, the very Son of God -- this man Jesus Christ. And then he calls for them to repent and be converted to Christ that their sins be "wiped away". Talk about being on fire for the Lord! Our first reading today stops there -- yet if we go on, Peter immediately tells these Israelites that "…God spoke of Jesus the Messiah through the mouth of His holy prophets from of old." In other words, "Hey guys, we should've recognized the Messiah from the scriptures." Peter's words are words of enlightenment and encouragement. That these Israelites might come to believe in Jesus the Christ and be saved. And if we read but a little further -- we read that, "…many of those who heard the word came to believe and the number of men grew to about five thousand".

In our own faith, my brothers and sisters, we are presented with a choice. We can either live in fear and doubt like Peter did when they had arrested Jesus. Or we can allow the grace of the Holy Spirit to work in us like He did in the Apostles after Pentecost, filling us full of faith, hope and love. Yet even this choice is no choice at all. For if we DO NOT choose the latter, we will most certainly live with the former, that is; in fear and doubt. This all has to do with the resurrection of the body.

In today's Gospel reading we hear how the two disciples recounted, to the Apostles, what happened to them on the road to Emmaus. And while they were speaking Jesus appeared before the Apostles and some of His disciples. He just appeared in their midst and said, "Peace be with you!". The scriptures then tell us that they were startled and terrified for they thought that they were seeing a GHOST. I would've been WAY beyond startled and terrified. Jesus then said and did things to help calm them down and help them realize that He had truly risen from the dead and was not a ghost but rather something that was very real, capable of being touched and capable of eating. He helped them dispel their fears and doubts. Yes -- It was truly Him but His body was definitely different -- His body was a GLORIFIED body. A body that could transcend time and space -- a glorified body that scripture tells us WE will be given at the resurrection of the dead on Judgement Day.

Jesus then proceeded to tell the Apostles that, "…everything written about me in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and Psalms must be fulfilled. Then He opened their minds to understand the scriptures." My brothers and sisters, the Apostles came to believe and have faith in the Risen Lord for several reasons. First, through His signs and miracles -- second, through the Lord's teachings, especially when He opened up their minds to the scriptures -- and third, through His own glorified bodily resurrection. And it was through this faith that they were able to embrace and believe one of the most astounding and exciting promises that the Lord made to them as well. That we too, would someday be raised from the dead with a glorified body and live in eternal happiness with Our Heavenly Father. That's why we Christians call ourselves Easter people.

As we know now, two thousand years later, the Apostles not only believed but also trusted in the Lord's revelation. They trusted enough even unto a martyr's death for that faith. And they handed this faith and testimony down to all of us. Yet, there have also been many detractors from the faith as well. Especially in our own time. Now, I'm not talking about the Doubting Thomas. Most of us have experienced the "Doubting Thomas Syndrome" from time to time. No, I'm talking about those in our time and our own faith -- those who call themselves Christians and Catholic -- who have rejected the true and traditional Gospel -- thereby rejecting the real Jesus Christ. I'm talking about the heretics and apostates of the faith. The modernists who have attempted to refute these age old traditional teachings of our faith. Passing off miracles and prophecies as myths and legends. And here I would mention the worst type of detractors -- wolves dressed up in priests clothing. Yes, men like Fr. Richard McBrien or Fr. Hans Kung -- the former having his book banned from being used in seminaries and the latter for being silenced by the Vatican. Fr McBrien is a well known figure from Notre Dame -- he has been on TV as well as many of the well known secular national publications -- who has been spreading erroneous theology where ever he goes.

Then there is of course, those non-believers and innovators from the so-called "Jesus Seminar" who deny the miracles and even the physical resurrection of Jesus. Or those who follow the claim that Christ was no more than a zealot terrorist whose disciples perpetrated a whopper of a lie about His resurrection from the dead. You may have watched a program titled, "In Search of Jesus" or the "Historical Jesus" or one of the many other biblical documentaries as presented on one of the PBS stations. And you may have walked away from programming like this questioning your own faith because something was said contrary to the traditional teaching and meaning of the scriptures. PBS stations have presented many specials of this type and given them air-time especially during the Christmas and Easter seasons for one purpose. To preach a different gospel.

So I suppose my first advice to any one of you would be, "If you want to learn about Jesus and the faith on TV then watch the best -- tune into EWTN". There are other shows available on the RI Interconnect channels, but EWTN is the best known and airs 24/7. You can watch it any time of day. Secondly -- be attentive and mindful at Mass. Jesus is talking to all of us and has a message and a lesson for each of us every time we celebrate the Liturgy. And thirdly -- the Church is our infallible teacher and guide when it comes to the faith. Listen to Her. Embrace her teachings and follow the path she points out.

I spent many years listening to all the naysayers out there. To all the OTHER voices. It got me nowhere and gave me no hope, no consolation and no happiness. My brothers and sisters -- My answer to these people is -- "You can have your hunches about robbed tombs, Passover plots, mass hysteria, and orchestrated illusion. It is all paltry fare to me now."

As Catholics, we believe in the Risen Christ. In His glorified bodily resurrection and ascension into Heaven. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. There is no other and we are saved by NO other name other than Jesus Christ.