He is Risen! He is Risen, indeed! Alleluia!
During this octave of Easter, we recall the multiple appearances of Jesus to his followers after his resurrection. We also start to hear the stories of how the Good News begins to spread, first in Jerusalem, then throughout the known world. A common theme in these stories is “recognition”, how the early followers went from not recognizing the gift that God had given to them, to full recognition that Jesus effected our salvation from sin and death. As we journey together over the next few weeks, we will hear how the early Christians, and in particular Paul, realized Christ not just in themselves or in a small group, but was in “all nations of the world.”
Today we have the familiar story of the “Journey to Emmaus” (Luke 24:13-35). These disciples, who will be key figures as the early church begins to grow, do not, at first, recognize Jesus as he begins to walk with them. They do not even recognize him as he interprets all that refers to him “in all the Scriptures.” Yet, they are interested in hearing what Jesus has to say. They invite him to stay with them. Then during the meal, a celebration of solidarity, close relationship, kinship, and communion, “their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.” In words that should be familiar to us, Jesus revealed himself as, “he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them.”
These are the words that are used to describe feeding the 5,000 at Bethsaida (Matthew 14:15‑31; Mark 6:31‑34; Luke 9:12‑17; John 6:1‑14). These are the words that are used to describe a second feeding, the feeding of the 4,000 at Tabgha (Matthew 15:32‑39; Mark 8:1‑9). These are the words used at the Last Supper; the words used in our own Eucharistic celebrations. In this octave of Easter, we are called, like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, to recognize the risen Lord in our midst. This is not just about Jesus’ real presence in the Eucharist, it is about Jesus’ real presence in each of us. Through the sacraments, and especially through the Eucharist, we are made sacramental, an outward sign of Christ love, offered to the community to be a grace.
Just as these disciples could not wait until morning and are compelled to return to Jerusalem at once to share Christ with the other disciples, we are sent from the Eucharistic meal to witness Christ for others. We are sent to feed the hungry: not only those who need food, but those who need a smile, a word of encouragement, a word of appreciation. We are sent to clothe the naked: not only those without clothes, but those without self-confidence or self-esteem, or those who do not know that they are loved by God. We are sent to shelter the homeless: not only those without homes, but those without tenderness or affection, those without sympathy or understanding, those without love and acceptance. We are sent to free the oppressed: not just those who are bound unjustly, but the stranger and the foreigner, people we have biases and prejudices against, those who are treated unjustly by social institutions that we support, even if it is only by our indifference. “Then you will spring forth your righteousness before you.” (Isaiah 58:8). Only then will we be a resurrection people.
It is about recognizing Christ in ourselves and in everyone else. In this reading, and in all the resurrection appearances, no one recognizes Jesus immediately; it is only upon awareness and discernment that they recognize his presence. If that is true for those who walked with and listened to Jesus in the flesh, how much more so is it true for us. We need to remain aware and reflective of our situations and of others that God puts in our lives, and as our world becomes ever more intimate, we need to recognize Christ in the world and of being Christ for the world by our witness of love.
May God Bless You and Grant You His Peace!