April 26th, 2020. 3rd Sunday of Easter. Lk 24, 13-35
A “round trip” is what St. Luke tells us about this Sunday.
It is in the afternoon and two disciples are walking along, sad, silent, disillusioned. A stranger joins them on the road. They tell him the reason for their sadness and disillusionment: “we expected him to be the Messiah”. They have not accepted the word of those who that morning said they had seen him. And the stranger gives them some explanations. He stays with them for supper, and in the breaking of the bread they realize that it is the same Jesus, risen from the dead. They had not recognized him. But he disappears.
They return immediately. Now they are full of joy, with their eyes open to understand the Scriptures, impatient to announce to the rest what has happened to them: he is alive and they have seen him!
At times we may also feel disillusioned, with diminished hope, seeing the future with a certain discouragement. We need Him to be present in our lives and to give us back our hope and enthusiasm. It is time to remember that he told us: “I will be with you always; I will not leave you alone”.
It is Sunday again, the day to meet the Lord. Of recognizing him present in the breaking of bread, at supper with him and the brothers and sisters. Of filling us with joy because he addresses us with his word, he gives us his forgiveness and his love. And of feeling the need to communicate to everyone the great event that we are experiencing: he is alive and among us!
Juan Ramón Gómez Pascual, cmf
