3 April, 2024 | Wednesday in the Octave of Easter

 Reading 1: Acts 3:1-10

Gospel Lk 24:13-35

That very day, the first day of the week,

two of Jesus’ disciples were going

to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,

and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.

And it happened that while they were conversing and debating,

Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,

but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.

He asked them,

“What are you discussing as you walk along?”

They stopped, looking downcast.

One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply,

“Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem

who does not know of the things

that have taken place there in these days?”

And he replied to them, “What sort of things?”

They said to him,

“The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene,

who was a prophet mighty in deed and word

before God and all the people,

how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over

to a sentence of death and crucified him.

But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel;

and besides all this,

it is now the third day since this took place.

Some women from our group, however, have astounded us:

they were at the tomb early in the morning

and did not find his Body;

they came back and reported

that they had indeed seen a vision of angels

who announced that he was alive.

Then some of those with us went to the tomb

and found things just as the women had described,

but him they did not see.”

And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are!

How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!

Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things

and enter into his glory?”

Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,

he interpreted to them what referred to him

in all the Scriptures.

As they approached the village to which they were going,

he gave the impression that he was going on farther.

But they urged him, “Stay with us,

for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.”

So he went in to stay with them.

And it happened that, while he was with them at table,

he took bread, said the blessing,

broke it, and gave it to them.

With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,

but he vanished from their sight.

Then they said to each other,

“Were not our hearts burning within us

while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”

So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem

where they found gathered together

the Eleven and those with them who were saying,

“The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!”

Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way

and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Reflecitons:

This text is found only in the Gospel of Luke. The eyes of the two disciples were prevented from recognizing the Lord. Their inner eyes were only opened when they showed hospitality to the stranger. Jesus understood how heartbroken these disciples were at the tragic death of their only Master. Jesus travels with them, joins in their conversation, interprets the Scriptures about Himself and reveals to them the plan of God. Although they did not recognize him, they were kind enough to invite him to the place where they were staying. Unknown to them, they were entertaining a divine guest. It was only at the breaking of the bread that their eyes were opened and they recognized him as the Lord. We can be sure that our loving God will never leave us alone; His comfort and consolation is always with us, no matter what situation we find ourselves in. It may be through a stranger or through some unexpected events. Let us be attuned to God who walks with us, especially in times of doubt and despair.

Action: 

I will welcome strangers and offer them hospitality in a prudent way.