THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER

“Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?”

Jn. 24,13-35

Rev. Alexander Díaz

When confusion settles in the heart of the human being it is very difficult to recognize the presence of the Resurrected, because frustration and doubt fill the heart. This is what happens in the hearts of these two pilgrims, that frustrated were returning to Emmaus, to start their lives over again, they knew Jesus but never understood His principal mission.

They were walking fast with tears in their eyes, with lamentations, reproaches and resentments. Their words indicated their frustrations and resentments; this caused them to be blind and not be able to see clearly what the other pilgrim was telling them. This case of Emmaus, is the case of millions of Christians now-a-day, they live their own lives, with a Jesus of miracles, leader of the multitudes.

With a Jesus formed on their own way, but that is not real. They live, believing and thinking that the cross has no meaning, it is only an element of condemnation.

The Gospel explains to us that they were sad, that was the reason why when Jesus approached them, they were blind and could not recognize Him, because their disappointment has taken away their will to continue. In the tomb, they buried their hopes to be free and to overcome.

They left all their dreams inside the desolate cave. Many had told them that He was alive and resurrected, but they did not believe and by the look in their faces, they were not open to believe it. They were defeated and sadden, they were blind to themselves, they did not know how to digest their failure.

They tell Jesus. They tell Jesus their version of what had happened, but they do this with despair. They had waited, but their waiting had been useless. Now they return more disappointed than ever. Jesus’ words comfort them, but His death; the silence of the Teacher leaves them empty. Jesus begins to explain to them again, everything that was said about Him in the Scriptures. They listened but were not convinced.

They keep on walking. They arrive at the town and Jesus made believe He was going to continue ahead, but they invite Him to stay. They sit at table and again Jesus picks up the bread, giving thanks to God, He broke it and gave it to them. Scriptures says that at that moment their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus, but He disappeared. The last gesture Jesus had for His Apostles was a Supper.

Now, after His resurrection, He does the same gesture again in the fraction of the bread, that nourishes, that saves and opens the eyes of the blind. The Eucharist is the place of encounter with Jesus. He comes to them, giving Himself again, in a different way. He breaks for them, shares with them the bread and blesses God.

They discover Him, at the precise moment. How beautiful it would be if we, as Christians, as they did, could also discover Him in the breaking of the bread and that our eyes will open at the precise moment of this miracle.

The Christian life will always be linked, connected to the Eucharist, Cross and Resurrection. Over and over again in the life of the followers of Christ, these three moments will be present. There is a question that our non-believer friends ask: If Jesus resurrected, ¿Where is He now? Jesus is not in the tomb.

The tomb is empty. Neither is the resurrection a return to the past. The real encounter with Christ is now in the Word, in the Eucharist and in the profession of Faith. The Lord is in the new life that have come in the transformation of the suffering of this world. To find it, is to find the path to salvation. Jesus Resurrected is in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the special place for the presence of Christ.

To participate in the Eucharist means to have a personal encounter with Christ Resurrected. The Resurrected is also present where people feel united, together, where the same feeling is shared.

The Resurrected is among the most weak and poor of society, those that are most vulnerable to lose. Jesus, by overcoming death, allows them to regain their strength to continue life’s path, with hope and happiness in their hearts. To see, most of all see, that He is always by our side in all the moments of the journey thru our existence.

Do not lose hope. When you feel lonely and beaten; do not lose courage when you feel defeated, because Jesus will always be walking beside you as a pilgrim, recognize Him when your heart starts burning and when it feels comforted, it is Him, it could be no one else. He is alive and walks with us, Amen!