Third Sunday of Easter 2008

Reflection for Third Sunday of Easter (Year A)…

Readings for
3rd Sunday of Easter (A)
06 April 2008

Acts 2:14a, 36-41
Psalm 16
1 Peter 1:17-21
Luke 24:13-35

Accompanied on our journey by the Lord…

The two disciples turned away from Jerusalem and set out for Emmaus. They were sad and weary with a dismal void within them because of the death of Jesus. He had been their leader and close friend. They had gambled their entire lives on him and his cause. Now he was no longer there. Things had changed utterly.

Jesus became their companion and journeyed along with them, but they did not recognise Him. At his prompting they went over the whole unhappy story adding that some women had been told by a vision of angels that he was alive. But it had no meaning for them.

Jesus explained the scriptures to them and revealed God’s plan. They generously invited him to dine and stay with them as it was already late (v.29). At the meal they recognised him in the breaking of the bread. In their joy, they turned back to Jerusalem and found the eleven rejoicing that “The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon”.

All of us have been down our own road to Emmaus. When something dreadful happens to us, our world collapses, we are left struggling and crying out for an explanation; our hope is dead; our faith is shattered.  We struggle to find meaning and find, instead, a huge gap between our knowledge and experience of God and the dismal void and terror we feel. We are unable to bridge the gap.

The risen Lord is with us on this difficult journey though we may not recognise him. Because he journeys with us, we have a seed of hope,  which will slowly grow to a certainty, that there is substance and meaning in our life journey in spite of all evidence to the contrary.

 

– Fr Sean O hAragain SMA
Wilton, Cork

 


 

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Last modified: Monday, March 31st, 2008

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