Gospel: 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 the bread.
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Reflection:
A husband was always
being urged by his wife to join his family to attend Sunday Mass. The husband
would always say, I don’t want to go because I don’t understand what’s going on
at Mass and I am also busy with other things.
His wife told him,
don’t you know that you always have a personal encounter with Jesus whenever
you are at Holy Mass? Don’t you know
that the words of Jesus are always proclaimed to you at Holy Mass? And don’t
you know that you always partake of Jesus Body and Blood during Holy Communion?
In our gospel, while
Cleopas and the other disciple were going to Emmaus, the risen Jesus suddenly
walked with them and conversed with them. They had no inkling that it was
already the risen Christ who was with them. Why? This is for the reason that
their focus was not on the risen Christ but on the Christ who died on the
cross.
They walked-on until
they reached Emmaus it was already night time so they invited Jesus to stay in
their house. And while they were at a table Jesus took bread broke it said the
blessings and shared it with the two of them. They immediately recognized that
it was the risen Jesus Christ who was with them. For Jesus did the same sacred
gesture before them and the apostles during the last supper in the upper room
(Luke 22:19-20).
Cleopas and the
other disciple are not alone in this predicament of not immediately recognizing
the presence of Jesus in their midst. For we too are often guilty of not
recognizing that Jesus is always present at Holy Mass.
And the reason
behind not recognizing Jesus at Holy Mass is our lack of concentration and
attention when we are at Mass. Our lack of interest with the Holy Mass readings
and our failure to read Jesus life transforming words in the bible when we are
in our homes.
If only we would
prioritize our presence at Holy Mass, if only we would focus our attention to
what the priest does at Holy Mass. And if only we would find time to open and
read the life giving words of Jesus in the bible every day. We would know and
feel that Jesus is also walking with us and He is ever ready to introduce
Himself to us. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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