Gospel: Luke 24:13-35
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:
Do you sometimes feel down, hopeless and discourage for the reason of the many life challenges that you are going through right now? In the midst of your life’s challenges, you have to continue to remain hopeful for there is no hopeless situation for as long as your life is centered on God.
The two followers who were going to Emmaus were obviously discouraged they were feeling down and somewhat hopeless. They were in such mood because their Lord and Master had a violent death on the cross. They thought that Jesus was their powerful savior but they were disappointed. For Jesus died on the cross badly bruised and beaten.
Their expectations of a powerful Jesus were suddenly replaced by feeling of loneliness, defeat and hopelessness. Until the Risen Christ walked with them, conversed with them and eventually went to their house to break bread with them.
After breaking bread with them, Cleopas and his companion recognized that it was Jesus who walked, conversed and broke bread with them. Upon discovering the identity of Jesus their loneliness and despair were immediately replaced by happiness, their discouragement was overpowered by encouragement. Their hopeless spirits were suddenly aflame and glowing.
What do we do when we feel hopeless, sad and discouraged? Do we just sulk in one corner as if we are the most hopeless and miserable person in this world? Or we always call on Jesus to give us hope and strength?
When we are at our lowest we always have
to remember that Jesus is always there for us and ever ready to listen to us.
He wants to give us hope, He wants to inspire us and tell us this: Be full of
hope for I will never ever abandon you. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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