3rd Sunday of Easter
Luke 24:35-48
Homily for 30 April 2006
Fr. Frank Baiocchi

There was a little girl who had a difficult time going to sleep at night. This particular night was no exception. After her bedtime story and night prayers and drink of water and visit to the bathroom, the girl was finally tucked in by her mother for the night. Her bedroom lights were dimmed and all was at peace. But scarcely a moment later, the girl called out: “Mommy, I can’t get to sleep. I’m afraid of the dark!” Her mother reassured her, “There’s no reason for you to be afraid. You know that God is always there with you!” Her daughter replied, “Mommy, I know God’s here, but I want somebody with skin on!”

“Somebody with skin on!” Out of the mouths of children! That’s what today’s Gospel is about. Let’s place ourselves with these disciples. Jesus, the same Jesus who died, is with us again. He tries so hard to convince us that he is really alive, that he’s no ghost, no mirage. He is for real! “Touch me,” he invites us, “A ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” Of course the best test for a live human being is a healthy appetite! So Jesus asks for food and eats some baked fish right in front of us, all to convince us that he is for real. He is “somebody with skin on.” Having convinced us that he is truly alive, that he has indeed conquered death, Jesus in today’s Gospel makes two requests of us. These requests are just as important to you and me today as they were to his original disciples.

Request #1: Jesus requires that we learn to understand the Scriptures. Know that it is written that Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the 3rd day. We need to understand the Scriptures better than we presently do. How many of us have a Bible at home? How many of us read it, and how often? How familiar are we with the Gospels and Letters, with our early church history in the Acts of the Apostles? Do we know that our weekly parish bulletin gives us references to Bible readings for each day of the week? Why not read a little each day personally, or as a couple, or together as a family? Take a look… (Reference this Sunday’s parish bulletin.)

Request #2: At the end of today’s Gospel, Jesus requires us to be effective witnesses to his being alive. He says, “You are witnesses to these things!” We need to take our witnessing seriously. A witness in faith is not just someone who knows something. A witness in faith is someone who changes dramatically because of what is known. Our faith tells us that Jesus died and arose, that he still has his “skin on.” We are all like that little girl who can’t get to sIeep at night because we too need someone with skin on. If we don’t believe Jesus still has his skin on, what are we doing here in church this morning ? If we do believe Jesus still has his skin on, why oh why aren’t we better people?