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 Christ 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 bread.

The road to Emmaus means that we are always on a journey

1) They were conversing and debating. So many times, this is what happens among us: we argue. But here, in today’s Gospel, the disciples are discussing what has happened and what they’d heard. Today, we are still arguing among ourselves instead of listening to Jesus and believing in Him. We still discuss what the purpose of the Pope is, instead of being united and praying for him. We should work together so that this world does not continue to be at war and so that there might be peace among us. We are still disciples who argue and debate instead of enjoying the One; the Life that is risen and alive.

2) Something prevented them from recognizing Him. Today, ask yourself what prevents you from recognizing Jesus. Become aware of what doesn’t allow you to really see Jesus and start living in a different way. Jesus walks beside you, but it’s true that it’s difficult to recognize Him; it’s difficult to see Jesus, but He is there, I assure you that He is, and He walks at your side. Difficulties do not go away, they don’t disappear, but they are transformed with Him. The Paschal Candle is lit now. Bring a little light into your life and get rid of the shadows.

3)Their hearts burned. Let’s ask Jesus to help us recognize Him. May our hearts burn in every Eucharist. Don’t let your daily routine make you cold and lead you to live your faith and the mass only to fulfill a duty. Let’s ask God for our hearts to burn again, that they might feel passion.  Put passion back into your life and change things with Jesus.

Today, Jesus, we ask that the heart of each one of us might burn within us so that we may fill this world with your love.

Remember that something good is on the way!

God bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.