As we continue our celebration of Easter, we praise God for this miracle that brings new life to us all, and we pray that we will continue to grow in understanding of the many ramifications of this event. Today we hear the story of how two disciples making their way back to Emmaus slowly grow in understanding until the moment the stranger they’d met on the road breaks bread with them. Suddenly they recognize the Lord in their midst. May we always be open to recognize the Lord in our midst as well.
Introduction to the Liturgy of the Word
Luke tells us one of the most beautiful stories of Jesus’ appearances after his resurrection in his account of the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Though they do not recognize him until he breaks bread with them, they realize at once that their hearts had been burning within them as he broke open the scriptures for them on their journey. May the scripture we hear today set our own hearts aflame as we take in the wonder and triumph of the Easter event.
Reflections
How would this Gospel passage have ended had the two disciples not invited the stranger to come and stay? If the disciples had said goodbye and wished him a good trip instead of inviting him to come and stay with them, would they have ever realized who he was? It might never have dawned on them. Perhaps we have encountered Christ in a stranger as well, but just never noticed because we didn’t take that extra step.
The two disciples from Emmaus enjoyed the company of the stranger enough to invite him to stay with them, but it was not until the stranger broke bread with them that they recognized him. Only then did they realize that their hearts had been burning within them as they’d listened to him open God’s word to them. Sometimes recognition only comes in retrospect. We don’t always realize the significance of an encounter with someone unexpected in the moment. Only later do we realize how special it was.
When Jesus first encountered his disciples from Emmaus, he opened the scriptures to them, explaining and interpreting the word of God. Then he dined with them, breaking bread and offering it to them to eat. Right now, today, Jesus offers us the same opportunities. Here we gather together with Jesus’ fellow disciples and hear the word of God: readings from the Gospel that can illuminate the reading from the Old Testament, and readings from the New Testament that can help us answer the call to discipleship. Then Jesus invites us to break bread together, bread that has become his Body, broken and shared with us all to consume and to become.
Question of the Week
Luke says that at first the disciples’ “eyes were prevented from recognizing him” (24:16). What prevents me from recognizing the Lord in our midst?
-from Pastoral Patterns
readings of the mass
LISTEN HEREto the Audio Recordings of the Readings of Sunday, April 23, 2023
SELECT HEREfor the Readings of Sunday, April 23, 2023
Offerings
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