The gospel readings during the week after Easter unpack the
tremendous event of Jesus’ resurrection particularly from the perspective of
how the disciples experienced that event.
What must it have been like for the disciples to encounter the Jesus
after his cruel death on the cross?
Today’s reading follows immediately after the encounter with
Jesus by the two disciples on their way to Emmaus. Jesus came to them in their
sorrow, walked with them, and made himself known to them. Remember, on the road
to Emmaus, they recognized Jesus “in the breaking of the bread” and then Jesus he
showed them how the Scriptures, beginning with Moses and the prophets pointed
to Him.
Jesus being made known in the “breaking of bread” and reading
and interpreting of Scriptures—sounds a lot like what we do at Mass, doesn’t
it? We encounter Jesus and recognize Jesus in Word and Sacrament.
Now, they’ve returned to Jerusalem to share these
experiences with the other disciples, and Jesus becomes present in their
midst.
One of the practices engaged in by the neophytes during the
Easter Season is called mystagogy. Those
newly initiated into the Church at Easter recount how they experienced Jesus in
the celebration of Word and Sacrament at the Easter Vigil. They recount how the powerful symbols of the
Easter Vigil—the fire, the singing, the water, the oil, the rituals, helped
them to experience the presence of Jesus, and what that means for them. This practice of mystagogy help them to more
deeply grasp what happened to them at Easter, what God is doing with them and
in them now. This strengthens them as they begin to walk in the newness of life
of the Christian faith, and also witnesses to the rest of the Church.
As the disciples recounted their experience of the risen
Lord Jesus on the road to Emmaus to the disciples of Jerusalem, he again became
present, and helped to deepen their faith, remove their fears, and prepare them
for spreading the Good News.
Sharing our faith is not meant to be limited to what we do
here in the Church. What we do here in
the Church, celebrating Word and Sacrament, is meant to prepare us for sharing
the Gospel out in the world: with unbelievers and those struggling in their
faith.
We, like the disciples of old, are meant to share our faith
with great joy with others, and when that happens, Jesus can become present to
them, and can set them on the road to deepening their faith, removing their
fears, leading them away from sin.
The best way to grow in faith, is to share the faith; when
we read the scriptures we are meant to discuss them with others, and when that
happens our minds are made more fully open to them. When we receive a
sacrament, that experience is meant to be shared with others, and when we do
that, our hearts are made more fully open to how God is working. Even as we encounter Jesus in the ordinary
events of our lives, that is meant to be shared with joy.
May each of us, leave Mass today with a greater sense of
mission and conviction for spreading the good news of our encounter with the
Lord Jesus in Word and Sacrament for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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