How Foolish We Are –
3rd Sunday of Easter Year A
Parents often marvel in disbelief over the things that young
children will fight over. Who can forget
the great debate over whose teddy bear was better, or the epic battles over
space in the back seat of the car on road trips? As adults we look at these feuds as childish,
petty, and unimportant. However, if we
stopped to look at our own disputes with fellow adults we might not see the
actual pettiness that exists within these spats. How many “irreconcilable differences” in
divorce proceedings are really unimportant matters of our own selfishness? Even in matters of great consequence pride
can consume our discussions and we are not conscious of God speaking to us and
providing the resolution we need.
In today’s Gospel text we find two disciples walking to
Emmaus conversing and debating the entire way about the events surrounding the
death and resurrection of Jesus.
Certainly they did not agree on the meaning of these events, or even
perhaps they disagreed on the facts described to them by the women. By their own words they saw Jesus as one from
Nazareth who was a powerful prophet of God – words they utter to Jesus himself,
though as yet unknown to them! But lest
we be harsh on these two men, we might recall our own inability to see Jesus
present among us and our failures in recognizing the full reality of Jesus’
identity. And these disciples will
provide for us an example worthy to follow.
For Jesus does appear to them and listens to their account
of the story about himself. They provide
for Jesus an honest account of what they saw, heard, and believed about
Jesus. Then, these two disciples listen
attentively as Jesus, still unknown to them, taught them about the identity of
the Messiah through the scriptures. What
is more, these men urge Jesus to stay with them that evening for a meal and to
continue the conversation about the true nature of the Messiah and the meaning
of these recent events of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Their openness and receptivity to the word of God is
rewarded in coming to know the full identity of Jesus – present to them this
entire time – in the sacramental action of the breaking of the bread. Jesus, whom had been unrecognizable to them,
now becomes fully known at table. Their
receptivity to the word of God enabled them to recognize the Lord Jesus in the
present moment, and at once their previous conversation and debate is put
aside. Jesus has brought resolution to
them through word and sacrament so that all conflict has been set aside.
What is more, these disciples then embark on a missionary
endeavor to tell the others about how they came to recognize Jesus in the
breaking of the bread. It is not enough
for us to merely come to a personal knowledge of Jesus’ identity and presence
among us. We must share this joy with
others and make it known how the risen Jesus has appeared to us in our lives.
Many people today lament the conflicts that exist within the
Church – whether these conflicts are local in the parish and diocese, or
whether these conflicts are more global in nature. Perhaps today’s Gospel text can provide for
us a means of finding peace and resolution.
If we imitate these two disciples and listen attentively to the word of
God, invite Jesus to remain with us, and gather together around the table of
the Lord, we too can come to recognize the presence of Christ among us. For what is essential to our lives is the
living word of God and the sacramental action of the Church. Through constant meditation on the word of
God, through fervent prayer and receptivity to Christ in our lives, and in the
celebration of the sacraments together we can resolve any difficulty and
conflict. In addition, we can go through
life with the joy of the presence of Jesus, making known to others the great
work He has begun in us.
The resurrection of Jesus means that conflict need not lead
to a sealed tomb as the final resting place for ourselves and that
conflict. Instead, it means that the
solutions lie beyond the tomb in the light of God’s presence. As we gather together, we pray for the grace
we need to be like these two disciples on the road to Emmaus so that peace may
reign over conflict in all aspects of our lives: “Father in heaven, author of all truth, a
people once in darkness has listened to your Word and followed your Son as he
rose from the tomb. Hear the prayer of
this newborn people and strengthen your Church to answer your call. May we rise and come forth into the life of
day to stand in your presence until eternity dawns. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.”
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