THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER
30 APRIL 2017
Saint Luke
structures his Gospel as a journey, with Jesus making his way to
Jerusalem. As he forms his disciples and
walks with them, he explains to them that he is the Suffering Servant promised by
the Prophet Isaiah. He clearly tells
them that he will be betrayed, that he will suffer, that he will be crucified,
and that he will be raised from the dead.
Jerusalem is the location for his self-sacrificing and self-giving
love.
In Luke’s
Gospel today, two of his disciples are walking away from Jerusalem. They are devastated by the humiliating death
of their teacher. With their hopes
dashed, they are heading for Emmaus. Scholars
debate the significance of Emmaus. Some
argue that it was the site of a Roman garrison, making it a symbol of power,
wealth, and influence. However, no one
knows where the ancient city of Emmaus was.
Several different sites seven miles from Jerusalem compete for money
from pilgrims in claiming to be the ancient city. But one thing is clear from Saint Luke’s
account. They are going the wrong way. They are running away from the pain of
self-sacrificing love and are seeking a reality that might appear to be much
easier.
On that
first day of the week, the first day of a new creation created by the
resurrection, Jesus himself joins them.
Even though they do not recognize him, they allow the stranger to walk
with them. He listens to them and seems
to be amused when they ask if he is the only visitor to Jerusalem who knows
what has taken place there. In fact, he is
the only visitor who truly knows what has taken place! He also knows that they have all the
information they need to believe what the women had told them. They are unable to connect the dots. So, he connects the dots for them. He quotes the Scriptures which they know well
and explains how God’s love has always involved a loving sacrifice. By the time they reach Emmaus, he has
connected the dots in such a way that their hearts are burning within
them. They beg the stranger to stay with
them. They recognize the risen Lord when
he takes bread, says the blessing, breaks the bread, and gives it to them. With the dots connected, they do something
risky. They leave immediately in the
dark to return to Jerusalem, to that place of sacrificial love. Nourished by the breaking of bread, they are
willing to face the dangers of traveling in the dark and the danger of thieves to
return to that place of sacrifice where they might be sacrificed.
The risen
Christ walks with us, even when we are going the wrong way. He listens to our pain, even when we are running
away from the sacrifices required by God’s love and are heading toward more
familiar avenues of wealth or power or influence. He never forces himself upon us. But he speaks to us in a variety of ways, opening
our eyes to his risen presence and helping us to connect the dots. He walks with us when we are devastated by
the loss of a loved one, or by any kind of disaster in our lives. He speaks to us through the mouths of those
who love us so much that they are willing to speak the truth with love. He speaks to us even when we find ourselves
devastated by our sins and really bad choices.
The risen
Lord has just spoken to us in the Word.
Just as Peter is able to connect the dots in his sermon from the Acts of
the Apostles, Jesus invites us to connect the dots of our lives and recognize
his risen presence in our midst. He also
speaks to us in these First Communicants, whose hearts have been burning for
some time as they prepare for this day.
He speaks to us when they renew their baptismal promises, reminding us to
live the promises made at our baptisms.
He feeds us with his Body and Blood, as he feeds them for the first
time. Then he sends us out of this Mass,
giving us the courage to walk away from whatever cannot satisfy and to take
risks and walk toward the new and eternal Jerusalem, the way of self-giving
love.
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