Wednesday in the Octave of Easter (April 4, 2018): Don't give up on God's plan

Today’s Readings:

Acts 3:1-10
Ps 105:1-4, 6-9
Luke 24:13-35
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/040418.cfm

USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/18_04_04.mp3

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke. 

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 the bread.

Good News Reflection: Don’t give up on God’s plan

The journey on the road to Emmaus in the Gospel reading today, was a trip made too soon. The two men who were heading to Emmaus had been disciples of Jesus. They had followed him around, probably for quite awhile, to learn from him. Nevertheless, they still lacked understanding. Like Thomas, they couldn’t believe that Jesus had really been resurrected from the dead.

There’s a big difference, though, between Thomas and these two. Thomas stayed in Jerusalem to wait for proof that Jesus was alive; these two left town. They gave up on Jesus a little too soon.

How often do we quit when things don’t seem to be working right, when all seems hopeless, or when a good plan turns into disaster? There’s an old cliche that claims, “It’s always darkest before the dawn.” I think we should change that to: “It only seems dark, but the dawn has already begun!” The Son has already started to shine — but our eyes can’t see his light yet.

When we feel like quitting — especially when that feeling is at its strongest — this is precisely when the resurrection light of Christ is about to make a difference! We are blind to what’s just around the corner. One or two steps more, just a little farther, and we walk into the victory that Jesus has been preparing for us.

Gratefully, when we give up on Jesus and quit too soon, Jesus does not give up on us. Remember that he went after the two who were heading to Emmaus. He went to them! And he does the same for us today.

First, Jesus gave them a new understanding of scripture, and at first, they did not recognize him consciously (in their heads), but their hearts definitely did. Their heads caught up with their hearts at the end of the journey when Jesus gave them a eucharistic sharing of the bread.

The Masses we celebrate today are a similar journey of rediscovering and recognizing Jesus. First, we have the Liturgy of the Word. To get value from the scriptures as they are read at Mass, we must listen with our hearts.

Then we move into the Liturgy of the Eucharist. When the presiding priest consecrates the bread and wine, it is actually Jesus who is doing it. Christ who dwells within him is doing for us what he did for those two disciples at Emmaus.

Next, we recognize that Jesus has come to us in the body and blood of the Eucharist. Instead of trusting what our eyes or our taste buds tell us, we embrace what faith tells us.

This is the same Jesus who has already arranged a victory for us in our trials.

Finally, we leave church like the two disciples in Emmaus. They set out at once and returned to Jerusalem to tell others what Jesus had done for them. They became evangelizers. They did not keep the news to themselves; they shared it so that others could benefit. Helping others discover Jesus is the ultimate victory.

Today’s Prayer:

Beloved Jesus Christ: May I find in the Eucharist Your love’s victory over sin and may my trust in Your victory be my strength before the injustices of this world. Amen.

© 2018 by Terry A. Modica

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