Reflections on our own road to Emmaus

This Sunday’s Gospel reading always comes after Easter Sunday and it is one of my favorites because the story is so real and even 2,000 years later this story is often repeated or comes back to many people. This is the story of the appearance of the risen Lord Jesus Christ on the Road to Emmaus and you will find it in Luke 24:13-35.

“Two of [the disciples] were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus... 15 And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, 16 but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” They stopped looking downcast. 18 one of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the thing 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 of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people. 20 how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. 21 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. 22 Some of the women from our group, however, have astounded us; they were at the tomb early in the morning 23 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.

And he said to them, “Oh how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! 26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and enter into his glory? 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the scriptures. 28 As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. 29 But they urge 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. 31 With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. 32 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? 33 So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them 34 who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.”

There are many Catholics who have in one way or the other joined many Charismatic movements or Lay organizations like Couples for Christ, Oasis of Love or Bukas Loob sa Diyos and have received the Word and embraced their faith in a new found conversion. Yet, many who have joined are no longer with the group because of so many reasons, principal amongst them is being busy. Perhaps they don’t realize that the acronym for busy is, Being Under Satan’s Yoke! We should never be busy for Christ’s sakes!

This was very true to the apostles and disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ who followed him and watched the numerous miracles that he performed, allowing the blind to see, cleansing the lepers, casting out demons and feeding thousands of people from a few pieces of bread and fish. All of them not only witnessed these wonderful things, but also heard the Gospel truth spoken by Divinity himself!

I don’t have enough space for this column to quote what Moses and the prophets spoke of the Messiah, but in the past we have written about them. Thus as Catholics we have heard about the life and times of our Lord Jesus Christ who left us his commandment, “Love one another as I have loved you.” and his promise, “I shall be with you till the end of time.” Jesus never failed us with his promise and today he comes to us in the Holy Eucharist with his body, blood, soul and divinity. It was true 2,000 years ago where you read the last part of this Gospel, Then they recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.”

What about you, have you gone to your own Road to Emmaus, read about our Lord Jesus Christ and welcomed him into your midst? But more importantly, after receiving Holy Communion, did your eyes open up and recognize Jesus and did that change you? Alas too many Catholics accept the Word of God, receive the risen Lord Jesus Christ in Holy Communion, but when they go out of church, they do not practice his commandments in loving one another as Jesus has loved us. It is time you reflected on this if you truly love the Lord who loves us so much.