Homily 3rd Sunday of Easter 2020
One of the features of the Christian Community in the early morning of Easter was the apparitions of the Risen Christ to his disciples. And today’s Gospel reports one of the numerous apparitions of the Risen Lord to his disciples, specifically his apparition to the two disciples of Emmaus. The story of the encounter between Jesus and the two disciples of Emmaus is one of the most heartbreaking stories to read or listen to because it reminds us our own spiritual journey, our personal experience with the Risen Lord in the “Emmaus” of our lives. In my homily, I’ll highlight three main points.
The Sharing of the Road with the Risen Lord, from Jerusalem to Emmaus
In their way back to Emmaus, the two disciples were walking, disappointed, heartbroken, disoriented and desperate, overwhelmed by the tragic passion, crucifixion and burial of their Master, Friend and Superhero, Jesus-Christ the Nazorean. They were walking hopeless because the only man who was the source of their hope had just been humiliated, crucified and killed as a bandit, powerless. With Jesus’ death, their hope in the future of Israel, and their hope about the viability of their community of followers totally vanished. There was no reason for them to stay in Jerusalem anymore. They had to move on in their lives and go back to their daily routine in their home town of Emmaus. Surprisingly, while their hope and morale were low, the Risen Lord joined them to share the road with them, walking side by side with them, showing compassion and comfort, with an attentive ear able to listen to the broken-hearted. Like these two disciples in today’s gospel, our journey of faith is likened to Emmaus, the Emmaus of our own lives, when nothing works as expected, and when we lose hope and faith. When walking in the darkness of our disappointments and discouragements, the Risen Lord joins us to share the road with us, to show us compassion and comfort, to listen to our misfortune and turmoil like in this time of tribulation with the coronavirus pandemic which has taken away more than 50,000 lives here in America so far, and has caused almost 200,000 deaths worldwide. In the “Emmaus” of our life, when we’re struggling with an incurable disease, or when we’re mourning a loss of a loved one, or when we’re anxious because of unemployment due to the covid-19 pandemic, the Risen Christ joins us to galvanize and strengthen our faith and hope saying:” My Brothers and Sisters of Placerville and Georgetown, you’re not alone, I am here with you, walking side by side with you in this difficult time you’re facing. You don’t feel my invisible presence in your life, but I am there with you, walking in your footprint and carrying you on my shoulder.”
The Sharing of the Word of God or Holy Scriptures with the Risen Lord
The disciples on the road to Emmaus heard the Scriptures interpreted in a way that had never occurred to them before. This sharing of the Scriptures caused their hearts to burn within them. These words of wisdom they heard were what they had been waiting to hear all their lives. It moved them to beg Jesus to stay with them. Today, you too, on your road to “Emmaus”, when watching Mass on TV or via Livestream Channels, you have been listening to the Risen Lord sharing the Scriptures with you through the Liturgy of the Word. How did you feel at that time? Was your heart burning within you while the priest was reading the Gospel? Wasn’t your heart aflame? As Pope Francis said, “The road to Emmaus thus becomes a symbol of our journey of faith: the Scriptures and the Eucharist are the indispensable elements for encountering the Lord. We too often go to Sunday Mass with our worries, difficulties and disappointments. Life sometimes wounds us and we go away feeling sad, towards our Emmaus, turning our backs on God’s plan. We distance ourselves from God. But the Liturgy of the Word welcomes us: Jesus explains the Scriptures to us and rekindles in our hearts the warmth of faith and hope, and in Communion, he gives us strength. Read a passage of the Gospel every day. Remember it well! Read a passage from the Gospel every day, and Sundays go to Communion to receive Jesus.”
The Sharing of the breaking of bread with the Risen Lord
What happened is that, at the Breaking of Bread, their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus the Risen. So they passed from sadness to joy; they passed from darkness of doubt to the light of faith; they passed from the feeling of despair to the glimmer of hope. The Eucharist we celebrate is the mystery of the breaking of bread where we encounter the Risen Lord and recognize him. The question today is: Do you recognize the Risen Lord in the breaking of bread at any Mass you’re watching on TV? In fact, at each Mass, we experience what the disciples of Emmaus experienced with the Risen Lord. As Pope Francis said, “This is what happened to the disciples of Emmaus: they received the Word; they shared the breaking of bread, and from feeling sad and defeated they became joyful. Dear Brothers and Sisters, the Word of God and the Eucharist fill us with joy always. Remember it well! When you are sad, take up the Word of God. When you are down, take up the Word of God and go to Sunday Mass and receive Communion, to participate in the mystery of Jesus. The Word of God and the Eucharist fill us with joy.”
The road to Emmaus is the path of life. On it, we travel from the darkness of despair into the light of faith, led, nourished, and sustained by the Eucharistic Christ who is our portion and our cup, our resurrection and our life. Therefore, echoing the invitation of Pope Francis, “Through the intercession of Most Holy Mary, let us pray that every Christian, in reliving the experience of the disciples of Emmaus, especially at Sunday Mass, may rediscover the grace of the transforming encounter with the Lord, with the Risen Lord, who is with us always. There is always a Word of God that gives us guidance after we slip; and through our weariness and disappointments there is always Bread that is broken that keeps us going on the journey.”
Rev. Fr Pepin W. F. DANDOU
Georgetown, CA April 25, 2020.