Search
From the Pastor's Desk: April 26, 2020
-
From the Pastor’s Desk: April 26, 2020
The Easter season is a time for rejoicing that Our Lord has shattered the bonds of death through His Resurrection. We celebrate His victory because it is our victory as well. He didn’t just shatter the bonds of death for Himself, but for all of us. Today, the Gospel for the third time tells us of another spectacular moment that occurred on this first day of the week. Nonetheless, today we also hear about two disciples of Jesus who went on a 7 mile long journey from Jerusalem to the unknown place called Emmaus with shattered hopes, sense of defeat, dashed expectations as the result of Jesus’ death and even the empty tomb.
We are living in very challenging times. We are totally taken by the coronavirus situation. The disease sweeps over us a flood of fears, confusion, restlessness and doubt. People losing jobs, small businesses are closing down; the economy creates one of the greatest challenges of the day. The entire situation with the COVID-19 affects our feelings and emotions. It seems like the darkness of confusion, misinformation, impatience, anxiety, despair, and even death are all around us. Fear seems to be the factor that dictates the rules of the day and holds us hostage with its power. Within hours, our fast and demanding life had the emergency break pulled on it. On one hand, things changed dramatically; on the other hand, however, it created opportunities for us to reflect on what we are really hearing and what we are really seeing.
We are much like those disciples walking along the road to Emmaus- more concerned over the events in our lives than with the presence of Christ and our relationship with Him. Our hope, faith, and trust are challenged today in such a way that often makes us blind and deaf to the presence of Christ. And yet, just like in today’s Gospel, Jesus listens patiently to the version of history those two men had, so He also listens to us. He does not interfere. He did not cut them off after a few words. He heard them out. He listened, and in the light of what they said, He shared the past for them in a new way. “Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He interpreted to them the things about Himself in all the scriptures.”
He did not impose His understanding of the past on them. Neither did He impose His understanding of the future. But rather, He waited for them to invite Him. When they came near the village they said, “Stay with us!” He did not impose Himself; He allowed them the courtesy of inviting Him freely. Because, Christ does not force us, He offers His presence and makes it possible for us to invite Him.
Only then, when they invited Jesus into their lives, they were able to recognize Him: “When He was at the table with them, He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.” In this very clear and plain language “their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him.” This is how future disciples will recognize Him too. This is how we recognize Him in our lives, at the breaking of bread. Perhaps today, where the community of the faithful remain united spiritually, we still need to recognize Him as He remains with us to strengthen our faith, trust, and hope in Him.
Faith is God’s invitation to us. Faith is such a gift to make it possible for us to embrace with an authentic belief that Christ is in our lives always. He invites us as family and friends to come and join together in the breaking of the bread, that we can recognize Him for whom He is– our Savior. He is our Messiah, the Risen one. He is with us always, just as the Scriptures testify. The transforming power of the resurrected Christ makes our heart to burn as we listen to the Scriptures and our eyes are open to the truth of His presence.
God gives us the grace to see with the eyes of faith, to see the truth, the full truth, and to be able to joyfully bow down and worship. Ultimately, we want to not only be able to recount the story of Jesus, but to become part of this story; to rediscover the gift of discipleship and with authentic joy proclaim the Truth of the Resurrection, even now- or maybe especially now- during these most challenging times.
Please stay safe and healthy and be assured of our prayers and support!
With prayers,
Fr. Andy
