Search
-
April 20, 2022“The disciples recognized the Lord Jesus in the breaking of the bread.” —Luke 24:35
Since Easter our readings from Acts and the gospel relate how the joy of Jesus’ resurrection permeates the lives of his followers. This joy is fertile, fruitful, and contagious. Peter and John are empowered by Jesus’ Resurrection. And what empowerment! Peter, who denied Jesus three times, has not only been forgiven, but has been commissioned to preach and to heal. Jesus doesn’t ask perfection from anyone. He seeks only love! When Peter and John go up to the temple to pray, Peter is graced with the power to heal the crippled man.
Luke relates that after the Passover, families head home from Jerusalem. Cleopas is accompanied by his wife. They are puzzled by all that had happened before Passover. Unknown to them, a stranger (Jesus) joins them in their conversation and explains to them biblical history. It was not until the breaking of the bread that they recognize the risen Jesus. Cleopas and his wife’s spiritual awakening encourage their sharing of this good news to Jesus’ followers, so they head back to Jerusalem.
Centuries later we are rejoicing in the same Good News: Jesus’ suffering has been transformed into new life. All of us are invited not only to experience this Good News but to share it. Recently, Pope Francis counseled us: “Transformation calls for pastoral conversion.” So, he has encouraged members of every parish throughout the world to come together to share their aspirations on how to live Jesus’ gospel teachings of the beatitudes and the works of mercy in the forum of synodality: walking together in Communion, Participation, and Mission.
Jesus has garnered his own stories, his parables, but not for entertainment. Each parable is meant to pick us up, shake us, and put us back down again. But when Jesus puts us back down, we are different; we are invited to change.
When Pope Francis asks us for pastoral conversion, his words are meant to shake us up. He is asking each one of us to spend some time daily in prayer and reading the Scriptures. Where do we as individuals need a deeper understanding of Jesus’ words in how we live? We cannot just accept the Word and not integrate the gospel into our daily lives. Four centuries before Jesus, Socrates reminded us: “Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.”
Spending time with the three travelers on the road to Emmaus gives us an opportunity to re-kindle the flame of our Baptism. We are individuals loved unconditionally by our God. Like the first disciples, we are called to worship and work in community. So, we ponder: How are we using our personal gifts, talents, and education to foster goodness in our world?
