Easter Octave - Wed Apr 14, 2020
Updated: Apr 17, 2020
Bible Text: “Their eyes were opened and recognized Jesus as He took bread, blessed and broke it...were not our hearts burning within us while He was opening the scriptures for us?” Luke 24. 13-35
The gospel that we have just proclaimed is a story about the two disciples going home from Jerusalem three days after the death of Jesus Christ. They were downtrodden and figuring out how to restart their lives once again after following after Jesus for three fruitful years. They have invested everything in Jesus. He is their life, happiness, hope and direction in life but suddenly that life vanished with Jesus' death. They did not know what to do at that very moment. They had no clue what was going on and very uncertain about their future so the best decision to do is to move away from the place where they experience that tragedy. However, Jesus Christ walks with them where He made Himself known to them by the proclamation of the word and breaking of the bread. Here the Lord reminded them how important were the things that they were doing and the celebration that they shared together because they are the avenues to which they can constantly listen to the voice and the encounter the real presence of Jesus Christ.
The experience of the two disciples is at the centre of our spiritual life which is the proclamation of the word and the breaking of the bread. It is the liturgy of the word that keeps our hearts burning and it is the real presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist that gives us life and navigates us to the path that brings us to the real purpose of life.
We may also identify our situation with the state of the two disciples. The churches are closed. Christians and Catholics across the world are dying to attend the celebration of the mass. Our recent situation is telling that celebration of the mass is extremely irreplaceable to our life as followers of Christ. There’s a quotation that says, we only realize the importance of one thing when it is no longer in us”. In the meantime that we are being prevented from a large gathering, let us hold on to that passion deep in our hearts. Let us continue opening the bible in our midst because it keeps our hearts burning with love and joy. It is through the bible that we listen to the very voice of Jesus who had spoken personally to the two disciples. Finally when this pandemic is over and allows us to celebrate mass once again, let that energy explode into our midst to worship the Lord. May each one of us treasure that moment to embrace Jesus in our hearts because we believe that it is only Jesus who gives us the right direction in life. It is only Jesus who gives us joy and strength to go on with our pilgrimage on earth until we reach our destiny in heaven with Jesus Christ.