Luke 24:13-35
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 bread.
Homily
Some years ago a young man stopped going to Church because of an unfortunate incident with a Catholic priest. How could the Catholic Church be the true church if one of its highest representatives behaved in such an ungodly manner was the question which he was asking? Then Pope Francis came on the scene! His embrace of a totally and horribly disfigured man spoke more loudly than the unfortunate behaviour of the priest who had wronged that young man who has since returned to the church.
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I thought of this incident as I meditated on this Gospel passage and the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus because both stories speak to us of the loss of faith and the abandonment of community with the corresponding missionary activity of believers which has the power to rekindle faith and facilitate reconnection with the community.
The story we know very well. Jesus has been tried and crucified. The dreams of his disciples have been dashed. The two disciples leaving Jerusalem on the way to Emmaus are in fact leaving the community of disciples. They tell the stranger who meets them on the road; “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;” In fact the tow disciples on the road to Emmaus do not even believe the women who had gone to the tomb and reported the loss of the body. They continue telling the stranger; “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.”
The stranger however does not accept the story as given them by the disciples. He begins a process of evangelization and leads them to acknowledge the truth of the events and their significance. He says 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.” In fact so engaging is the interaction between the disciples and the stranger that even though the stranger appears to be travelling on, the disciples urge him to stay with them; “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.” The result of the stranger’s evangelization of the disciples is the creating of community. The stranger went in to stay and to break bread with them as a result of which their eyes are opened and they recognize the Lord Jesus in the stranger. There is a return to faith as a result of which they return to Jerusalem rejoining the community and joining in the on-going evangelization of the community. “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 bread.”
Pope Francis tells us that every baptized and confirmed person has a missionary vocation. We are all called to bring others, with God’s grace, to faith and to community. We often meet persons who in disillusionment have lost the faith and abandoned the community. The story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus gives us the steps to follow in the process of evangelization. As the stranger did so must we. The stranger began by listening. After listening, he explained the scriptures and finally entered into community, breaking bread with those to whom he was speaking. This was the method of the Risen Lord, It is the method of Pope Francis who lets his actions explain the scriptures, it has been the method of many saints. As you and I encounter individuals who have been disillusioned and have withdrawn from community, we can do no better than to imitate the risen Lord as he dealt with the disillusionment of his disciples.
Prayer
All powerful and ever-loving God, the disciples recognized Christ in the breaking of bread. Help us to break bread with others so that they may recognize you and the truth of the Gospel we proclaim. We ask this through the intercession of Mary, our Mother and Jesus your Son. Amen
