Gospel Reflections for April 30 2017
Jesus really means to arrive in your life
The Gospel describes a time after the Resurrection when Jesus appears to two disciples leaving Jerusalem who had seen His earlier crucifixion. They are deeply disillusioned about that. Their hope that Jesus would remove the hated Roman Empire also died on that cross. Imagine if you believed this or that person would defeat ISIS, change North Korea, or end terrorism …and then died!
Yet Jesus appears and walks quietly alongside them. He listens closely to their feelings and then reveals what it all means. I am especially moved when they say, “Were not our hearts burning within us as Jesus explained everything to us?”
However, real recognition occurs when Jesus “breaks bread” with them. That is the earliest name given to the Eucharist, which is what happens at every mass. Jesus does again what He had done earlier at the Last Supper.
All the Easter Gospels verify the real physical resurrection of Jesus, and that His life provides real and concrete happiness, peace, and fulfillment. Jesus appears later to over 500 people and even eats meals with them. That is important. Ghosts do not eat real food, only a living person can. Ghosts do not have flesh and blood, only a real person does. Jesus verifies that He is real.
Yesterday, many second graders received their very First Communion. They were wonderful events. We did not give these second graders pictures of the Eucharist, but the real Body and Blood of Our Lord, which He Himself created to give us real strength, real courage, and real happiness in our world today.
Your faith must be just as real and visible for it to be meaningful and effective. It is not enough to have a feeling about Jesus. It must be shown in your life in real and visible ways, for others to see. How we talk, how we behave, and how we treat each other are the ways we show that.
Jesus is the person who can change our disillusionment with the world into hope for the future. After all, in just a few generations the Roman Empire became Christian because of that real loving example of those first Christians …one person at a time. You are that person that can make a difference now.
Following the way of Christ can change your world as well.
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
The “Road to Emmaus” story is so inspiring for me. I can see it as similar to the journey that people take in joining the Church through the RCIA program. With a kernel of faith, a person can come to understand the wonderful events that happened in the world at the birth of Jesus. The journey starts with doubt but with wonder and expectation. Jesus reveals himself as the journey proceeds.
The resurrected Jesus does not always appear to us as a traveling companion. Life in the spirit is such a mystery that, I think, it takes a gift of grace to grasp it. I guess we have to think of spirit as like a breath of wind–you know it is there, you can sometimes feel it, but you can’t see it or contain it.
I think one of the key ideas is that Our Lord “walks alongside us” especially at times of despair and disappointment, and leads us to hope and fulfillment, especially in the Mass.
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee your commentary Father Dave!! Our Faith is an incredible Faith of love!! God creates us!! Man sins!! God gives us His precious Jesus to teach us our faith and the meaning of Love and dies for us sooooooooooo that we can one day attain Heaven!! and reveals himself after the Ressurection!!! Jesus gives us the sacrament of forgiveness of sins, the precious gift of himself in Holy Communion and shows us a way to live a life of love!!! One person at a time!! Loveeeee it!!! There is other precious Faith like ours!! We must love it live it and shareeeeeeeeeeeeee it!!!
Loveeeeeeeeeee you!! Love, Franca and Dick
Last sentence!!! There is no other precious Faith like ours!!!!!!!!! Loveeeee it!!!
Thank you!
You wrote: “You are that person that can make a difference now.”
That’s quite a challenge; hope I’m up to it. I will try.
You absolutely can make a difference. Never doubt that.
I agree with you fr. Dave,on knowing the real Jesus.
After the Resurrection, Jesus ate meals with the disciples. How real is that!
At the Last Supper Jesus didn’t say, This is a symbol of My body.
He said,”This is My Body”….likewise “This is My Blood”….
With all the chaos and uncertainty in the world Jesus is the answer
and we have the question.
Yes, Our Lord is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.