Acts 3 : 1-10,
Psalm 105:1-2.3-4.6-7.8-9,
Luke 24 :13-35 Full Readings
Recognising Jesus in the Eucharist
Brethren, we continue to celebrate Easter and Jesus is appearing to different groups of people while on the other hand the Apostles are using the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the light of the Risen Lord to perform miracles and show that really the Lord who was crucified died and was buried is indeed alive. Do we ourselves believe in this Resurrection, if Yes, let us take that light of resurrection to others.
Yesterday, we reflected on recognising Jesus' Voice in our lives and today the Gospel reading points to another aspect of recognising Him, that is, recognising Him in the Eucharist Jesus appears to the disciples on their way to Emmaus, and they could not recognise him until he broke the bread, gave thanks and handed it over to them, there their eyes were open and recognised him.
This aspect gives us a simple truth and a reality, that Jesus is present in the Eucharist. Entering this mystery needs faith, and the knowledge of the scripture. Mostly we can go for mass and don't give attention to the two major aspects of liturgy, that's is the liturgy of the word where Christ himself is speaking, meaning he is present among us in his Word and it is this Word that prepares us to go into the mystery of the Eucharist.
The second important part is the Eucharist, where Christ is fully present in the species of bread and wine. It is only with the eyes of faith that we see and enter this mystery. Truly, as Jesus has shown in the Gospel, He is present daily in the Eucharist, and invites us to always meet him there, "Come and Visit me, Come and talk to me, as your brother, See I am here, in the Eucharist." How deep is your, my or our love for the Eucharist, do we believe that he is really present there, do we recognize him at the breaking of the Bread as Acts 2: 26 says, when we gather together with one heart and break the bread in his name, he is really among and we receive him sacramentally? Reflect on what stops you to receive Jesus in the Eucharist and pray to God to clear such barriers on your way to receive him in the Eucharist.
Reflect also on what makes you not to recognize Jesus through the Scripture and what stops us to believe in it Jesus explained the scripture to the disciples but even with that they could not understand. Why? St Augustine has this to say "They were so disturbed when they saw him hanging on the cross that they forgot his teaching, did not look for his resurrection, and failed to keep his promises in mind" (Sermon 235.1).
This might also happen to us that experiences we undergo make us not to recognize Jesus in our daily lives, today we pray that we may be able to recognize him in all our experiences. Most often we think that the Lord will come to us in extraordinary ways, of which many are seeking like miracles and others which have become the threat to our faith , but he comes to us through simple things and always among us in Eucharist and in his Word.
We pray that our love for the Eucharist may increase and that we should endeavor to understand and believe in the scripture for as St Jerome says, “Ignorance of the scripture is ignorance of Christ.” It is when we have faith in the Eucharist and understand the scripture that we can go out to proclaim with even the powers to heal as Peter and John did in the first Reading. May God continue to bless us forever and heal us from this pandemic attack.
Blessed Easter.
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