Acts 2:14,22-33,
Psalm 16:1-2,5,7-11,
1 Peter 1:17-21,
Luke 24:13-35 Full Readings
Recognising Jesus in the Scripture and the Bread
Brethren, once again in this Easter season we Reflect on this particular Gospel, where Jesus meets two disciples on the way to Emmaus and they could not recognise him until he broke the bread and gave them. However, they could not recognize him through the scripture. So is it to us sometimes.
Sometimes recognising Jesus in our lives through scripture and the breaking of the bread or Eucharist becomes difficult. We could ask ourselves, if the disciples knew what was written about Jesus and even heard from him that he would rise on the third day, why was it difficult for them to believe?
It is because the experience the disciples had of his passion and death gave them a blow. Jesus' death scattered his disciples and shattered their hopes and dreams. They had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel (this means they had not understood him even when he was alive, because he was not a political Messiah). They saw the cross as defeat and could not comprehend the empty tomb, they needed a visible sign to believe, and it was until Lord Jesus appeared to them and gave them understanding.
Brethren, sometimes our experiences also block us from understanding Jesus, from recognising him in the scripture and in the Eucharist. We think that really God is not on our part and so we fail to understand and recognize him in any way. It's an invitation today, to reflect on what stands on our way to reach Jesus, to recognize him as he speaks to us in the scripture and as we receive him in the Eucharist. Do you believe that Jesus is present in his Word and in the Eucharist?
Brethren, Jesus is truly present in the two most important parts of the liturgy (scripture and the Eucharist). What we need is the gift of the Holy Spirit to increase our faith and open our eyes to see him. We also need to allow Jesus to open our minds which takes faith and surrender. It means we believe first and understand later. It means we trust Him even though we do not see. St. Augustine once said, “Faith is to believe what you do not see. The reward of faith is to see what you believe.” However, we also need to take a step to understand what we believe, not just believing in the dark. We have to understand that these are mysteries of God and we cannot understand the mystery without being aided, and our aid is the Holy Spirit who works through our faith and surrender to Jesus. With these, we shall be able to understand Him and recognize that he is truly present.
It's this Holy Spirit which makes us understand and recognize Jesus in the scripture and breaking of the Bread that also makes us to take a step further to proclaim the Word with boldness and courage and also realise that it's through the name of Jesus that we have faith and hope in God as portrayed in the second reading. Peter in the first Reading attributes his proclamation as the work of the Holy Spirit received after resurrection, and his proclamation touched and converted many people because of its divine authority. Let us ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit too so that he may lead and guide us as we fulfill our mission in the world.
Let us Reflect today on what hinders us from understanding and recognising Jesus in our lives, in the scripture, and in the Eucharist. What makes us sometimes lose faith in Jesus and them ask the Lord to send us his Spirit so that we may be able to enter these divine realities and understand them better but also to lead our lives in the right direction. May God give us his strength and courage as we place our trust in him and may we be blessed forever. Amen
Blessed Sunday
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