Our Meeting Place

3rd Sunday of Easter A
Acts 2:14, 22-33;
Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11 1 Peter 1:17-21;
Luke 24:13-35 April 5-6, 2008

Road of Emmaus

.

Our Scripture readings this Sunday have one common, an encouraging theme: “No matter what happens in our lives, our Risen Lord is always with us.” We must not feel we are abandoned or alone, Jesus is always with us. We encounter Jesus day by day but because we are preoccupied or busy, oftentimes we don’t recognise him most especially to unexpected persons or events.

.

The risen Lord with the most beautiful smile

A young boy was walking home through the park after attending a Sunday school class. Somehow, he couldn’t stop thinking about the lesson for that day about Jesus’ teaching on the Last Judgment. What impressed him most was what the teacher said, "When you give something to another person, you’re really giving it to Jesus and you will find the risen Jesus in every one you meet." As he continued through the park, he noticed an old woman sitting on a bench. She looked lonely and hungry. So he sat down next to her, took a chocolate bar he had saved and offered some to her. She accepted it with a beautiful smile and he watched her smiles as she chewed the chocolate.

.

Then they sat together in silence, just smiling at each other. Finally, the boy got up to leave. As he began to walk away, he turned, ran back to the bench, and gave the woman a big hug. When he arrived home, his mother saw a big smile on his face and asked, "What made you so happy today?" He said, "I shared my chocolate bar with God." Before his mother could ask more questions, he added, "You know, she has the most beautiful smile in the world." Meanwhile, the old woman returned to her little apartment where she lived with her sister. "You’re all smiles," said her sister. "What made you so happy today?" She replied, "I was sitting in the park, eating a chocolate bar with Jesus. And, you know, he looks a lot younger than I expected."

.

The message of the story is simple – Jesus is with us and he always desires to stay with us. He wants to join us in our travels of life.

.

He is with us; Jesus desires to walk always on our journey…

It’s the same message of the Gospel story today. The road to Emmaus story illustrates that Jesus is with us even when we do not recognize him. It tells us how our Lord always desires to walk with us on our journey.

Jesus is present in the Word of the Scripture
Jesus remains with us in two ways: in the Eucharist and in his word. He is present in both: in the Eucharist under the form of food, in the Word under the form of light and.

The Scripture is the Word of God. When God speaks a word he always means it. His message is always sincere, reliable and true. When Jesus says, “Do not be afraid; or do not worry” he means it. Jesus wants to assure us his protection. When Jesus says “I am with you always” he fulfills that promise. Jesus is our companion both in ups and downs of our life.

For instance, in today’s post-Easter story, we heard how the two disciples of Jesus, Cleopas and his companions, were discouraged and devastated, as they set out on the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They were met by a stranger going along the same road. Because they were so preoccupied with their own disappointment and sorrow at the death of Jesus they didn’t recognise that it was Jesus himself, who was walking with them!

Jesus is present in the Eucharist
Secondly Jesus is very present with us in the Eucharist. In the Gospel, the disciples recognize him at the breaking of the bread, then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us…”

Jesus is with us in every celebration of Mass, the celebration of the breaking of the bread. Jesus says it lovingly, “Whoever eats my body and drinks my blood shall live with me eternally.” It a pity that sometimes don’t realize what is happening during Holy Communion.
The Eucharist is soul food, the bread of life for eternity. It feeds us and fills our spiritual needs. It is a pity that sometimes we take going to Mass on Sunday for granted.

Conclusion
The Eucharist is our meeting place with our Lord, it can be our Road to Emmaus. Let us pray in this Mass that our eyes and heart will recognise Jesus’ presence in our midst. May all of us be nourished with His life-giving Word and with the Bread of Life. Amen.

.
.
.

story from Fr Tony