Fr. Louis Birabaluge, sx
Third Sunday of Easter
Easter is good news, the best news. New life for Jesus means new life for his disciples, and new life for the disciples means new life for the world. For those who are convinced that Easter is good news, they know also that it cannot be kept in the secret of their hearts. The joy of Easter is meant to be shared. This is what Peter with the eleven did. In a loud voice, they proclaimed: “God raided him to life, freeing him from the pangs of Hades…” (Ac 2: 24). This is the good news that brings and gives hope (Pt 1: 21).
The experience of the two disciples of Emmaus, encountered in the Gospel this Sunday reminds us that faith in the resurrection is a long journey. It needs the support of the Risen Lord in order to become a living experience, opposite to an illusion. If Jesus is not walking by our side, as the disciples of Emmaus, we remain confused at the level of saying: “our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free”! The good news is: when we are disoriented, is exactly the time Jesus is present, shaking our stubbornness of hearts and our little faith.
As on the journey to Emmaus, he continues to explain us the passages throughout the Scriptures that are about himself. This is the importance of listening, studying, meditating the Scriptures. But how little is our knowledge of the Holy Scriptures! How many good Christians do not even have a Bible in their homes, even though they have all the latest informatic gadgets! How many hours are daily wasted on chatting, but to find 15 minutes to just read the Holy Scriptures seems impossible? Probably it’s because few of us are convinced that through the Bible God really speaks to us; that the Word of God gives eternal life. On the importance of the Holy Scriptures, we Catholics need to learn more from our protestant brothers and sisters. They cheer more the Bible than us!
Jesus continues to reveal himself through the breaking of the break. He is still opening our eyes. He is giving joy to our hearts whenever he gives us his body and blood in the holy Eucharist, even when we are not worthy. But how it comes to be that our hearts do not burn within us as he talks to us on the road of our life and explains the scripture to us? Maybe it’s because we lack to feel that He is alive; that He is walking with us at any time and at any joyful or sad events of our life. How can we set out and run quickly telling to our companions that it’s true the Lord is risen, if we do not have our own firsthand experience of Him?
Without this firsthand experience, it’s difficult to welcome the resurrection of the Lord as an event that gives joy, hope and new direction to life because it’s God’s victory over sin and death. As we are blessed to open the Scriptures and break the bread this Sunday and in every Eucharistic celebration, may we be trained by Jesus our Lord in how we can tell our own story about Him.
Third Sunday of Easter
Easter is good news, the best news. New life for Jesus means new life for his disciples, and new life for the disciples means new life for the world. For those who are convinced that Easter is good news, they know also that it cannot be kept in the secret of their hearts. The joy of Easter is meant to be shared. This is what Peter with the eleven did. In a loud voice, they proclaimed: “God raided him to life, freeing him from the pangs of Hades…” (Ac 2: 24). This is the good news that brings and gives hope (Pt 1: 21).
The experience of the two disciples of Emmaus, encountered in the Gospel this Sunday reminds us that faith in the resurrection is a long journey. It needs the support of the Risen Lord in order to become a living experience, opposite to an illusion. If Jesus is not walking by our side, as the disciples of Emmaus, we remain confused at the level of saying: “our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free”! The good news is: when we are disoriented, is exactly the time Jesus is present, shaking our stubbornness of hearts and our little faith.
As on the journey to Emmaus, he continues to explain us the passages throughout the Scriptures that are about himself. This is the importance of listening, studying, meditating the Scriptures. But how little is our knowledge of the Holy Scriptures! How many good Christians do not even have a Bible in their homes, even though they have all the latest informatic gadgets! How many hours are daily wasted on chatting, but to find 15 minutes to just read the Holy Scriptures seems impossible? Probably it’s because few of us are convinced that through the Bible God really speaks to us; that the Word of God gives eternal life. On the importance of the Holy Scriptures, we Catholics need to learn more from our protestant brothers and sisters. They cheer more the Bible than us!
Jesus continues to reveal himself through the breaking of the break. He is still opening our eyes. He is giving joy to our hearts whenever he gives us his body and blood in the holy Eucharist, even when we are not worthy. But how it comes to be that our hearts do not burn within us as he talks to us on the road of our life and explains the scripture to us? Maybe it’s because we lack to feel that He is alive; that He is walking with us at any time and at any joyful or sad events of our life. How can we set out and run quickly telling to our companions that it’s true the Lord is risen, if we do not have our own firsthand experience of Him?
Without this firsthand experience, it’s difficult to welcome the resurrection of the Lord as an event that gives joy, hope and new direction to life because it’s God’s victory over sin and death. As we are blessed to open the Scriptures and break the bread this Sunday and in every Eucharistic celebration, may we be trained by Jesus our Lord in how we can tell our own story about Him.