Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 24,13-35
That very day, the first day of the week, two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,
and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.
And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,
but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.
He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” They stopped, looking downcast.
One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?”
And he replied to them, “What sort of things?” They said to him, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,
how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him.
But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place.
Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning
and did not find his body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive.
Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see.”
And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!
Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the scriptures.
As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther.
But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight.
Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning (within us) while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?”
So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them
who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!”
Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Peace to all my brothers and sisters listening in today
1) What does Emmaus have to do with my life right now- what does it say to us today?
Well, the disciples, after hearing the news about Jesus’ death, are feeling everything has gone south. Their whole world has crashed in on them and they’re feeling lost, sad, discouraged disappointed, (and even despairing) because everything they had hoped for and were counting/planning on is gone and their future is now uncertain, and they’re not really sure what to do next. How many of us have had our dreams broken because of the virus? Weddings, graduations postponed or cancelled, business plans in jeopardy etc? We can question- How do I reconcile my faith in God with all this suffering and death? Why Is God allowing this? What is the purpose- was it supposed to happen, is it a punishment? Did God cause it? And most important- Where is Jesus in all of this suffering?
2) The answer of course is the same one the disciples receive, the risen Jesus is right in our midst -walking right beside us- BUT we can only recognize Him in and through the suffering. That’s why their eyes are opened in the breaking of the bread! You see God didn’t come to eliminate suffering and death but rather to transform it into becoming a means or a path to a new life-
Mother Theresa said the cross shows us how much God loved us but the Eucharist shows us how much He loves us -now.
What is the Eucharist? -the concrete visible proof of Gods true love made visible, incarnate,
How? By pouring himself out for us through self sacrificial love, total complete self giving kenosis- self emptying love. He gives EVERYTHING HE HAS – HIS VERY SELF
Love is only love when its given away- He does so perfectly because He does so completely- to the end.
3) Key
Its His initiative but requires our response. If we want to encounter the risen Christ who is love incarnate, we have to invite him in. Love must be welcomed personally into relationship.
When was the last time you consciously and personally invited Jesus into your life, your home, your heart,
Prayer is an invitation for God to come into my heart, to commune with me, and to receive his love. The perfect prayer is the mass which is not only about receiving love but teaches us how to respond to this infinite gift of Gods love- by imitating Christ and learning to make ourselves a gift to others and giving ourselves away, by breaking ourselves open and pouring ourselves out and sharing ourselves generously with others.
Jesus revealed the essence of the trinity is self sacrificial love- that’s what the trinity is- an infinite outpouring or self emptying love. Our response today and everyday is to say thankyou- that’s what the word eucharist means- How? By becoming the eucharistic- offering our self sacrificial love- and laying down our life for others.
God bless you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
Always remember heaven is our goal
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