My Thoughts on 15/04/2020

Today’s Gospel (Luke 24:13-35) is one of my favourites.

The two apostles are walking away for Jerusalem after the Crucifixion on their way to Emmaus. Their hopes and dreams that centred on Jesus were shattered. They are downcast. The stranger joins them, and they do not recognise that it is Jesus. He asks why they are so sad. They tell him their story and in response he says; “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. When they reach the village of Emmaus he starts to go on. They insist he stays with them. In the breaking of the bread they recognize Jesus and he vanished from their sight. They immediately return to Jerusalem.

What I love about this encounter is that they first tell Jesus their hopes and dreams and why they are sad. Jesus listens and then he explains the scriptures to them and enables them to understand the events of his death. Later they say, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” Jesus firstly asks us what the matter is. We need to share with Jesus our concerns in our life. Then he helps the disciples to see their life in the light of Scripture. We need to let a daily reading of Scripture help us to listen to what Jesus is saying to us now. Finally, the celebration of Mass is the moment we experience Jesus with us. We are then strengthened to return and face anew our life. At this time of the pandemic we cannot share the Eucharist but let us be open to Jesus showing us the meaning of our life through the Scriptures.