April 6, 2021
Tuesday Easter Week
Dear Friends,
We read in sacred scripture: And it happened that, while he was with them at the 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?” Luke 24:30–31
How would you have reacted as you were walking down the road with friends and Jesus appears and starts to walk with you and asks you what you are talking about? First, I would have felt a little concerned about who is this stranger walking along with me.
So, they were on their way to the town of Emmaus about seven miles away. They previously had hoped that Jesus was the one Who would deliver Israel—but then He was killed. And three days later, there were all these rumors of His Resurrection, which only left them confused, really, someone would be raised from the dead? As they journeyed, Jesus appeared to the two disciples, but they did not recognize Him at first. His identity was hidden from their eyes, why? Maybe because Jesus looked different, he was in his new and glorified body. Jesus listened to them and expressed sorrow at their lack of understanding, so He explained to them the teachings of Moses and the prophets and that the Messiah needed to suffer, die, and rise on the third day. As Jesus spoke, the disciples began to understand, and their hearts burned within them. In the gift of the Holy Eucharist, in the breaking of the Bread, their eyes were opened to see that it was Jesus with them.
Why did Jesus hide His risen presence from these disciples? It appears that He did so because they lacked faith. So, much like us as we attend mass, do we believe what we see as we enter the Communion line and to receive Jesus as on the road to Emmaus? Do we hope for something else? The Crucifixion was too much for them to handle. They could not comprehend why the Redeemer had to suffer as Jesus did, so they began to doubt.
Too often we are like these disciples who are confused about matters of faith and who struggle with doubts. For that reason, we must see ourselves in the persons of these disciples as they walked the road to Emmaus. Jesus offered these disciples a wonderful gift of mercy by helping them to understand His saving act. He explained to them all that was taught in Scripture regarding Him. And as these disciples listened to Jesus teach them, they slowly came to believe.
We, too, must grant Jesus to teach us about the changing power of His death and Resurrection. We must listen kindly and allow our hearts to burn within us as we listen to His holy Word. Only in this way will we come to the level of faith we need to grasp and accept the transforming power of the Paschal Mystery more fully.
Today: Reflect, today, upon these disciples and their need to reflect upon the Word of God so as to understand, believe, and have their eyes opened. Know that you need this same grace. You need to spend time with our Lord, immersed in His Word, listening to His voice, so that you will come to believe more fully. Allow the message of Jesus’ death and Resurrection to burn within you so that you, too, will come to believe.
Let us pray: My resurrected Lord, You appeared to these disciples who lacked faith and understanding and gave them the gift of Your holy teaching. Teach me, dear Lord, all that I must come to understand and know about You, Your death, Resurrection, and glorious gift of new life. May Your Word burn within me and lead me to a transformation of my life. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.
Happy Easter,
Brother Ed, OFM