3rd Sunday
of Easter
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| Caravaggio: Supper at Emmaus (click on image to enlarge) |
The scriptures are the Word
of God. As such they are addressed to every generation not just to those living
2000 years ago. So when as in today's first reading Peter stands up in front of
a congregation much like ours, we should consider that he is speaking to us.
When he says, "You who are Jews,"... "You who are Israelites,
hear these words," he means us.
In his oration Peter gives witness to the life, death and
Resurrection of the Lord.
Peter says about Jesus,
This
man...you killed, using lawless men to crucify Him.
At the famous church Council
of Trent, held over 400 years ago, the Church fathers refused to blame the Jews
for the death of Christ. They said that inasmuch as Christ died for all men's
sins, then all of us are responsible for His death. This position was
reiterated at the Second Vatican Council.
Nevertheless, He died for all
of us and He was raised from the dead for all of us. Peter then quotes the
great Jewish King David as foretelling the resurrection of Jesus. Now Peter was
no scripture scholar or learned rabbi. Perhaps he got this reference to David
from the disciples who met the risen Jesus on the road to Emmaus.
Some of us must remember that
old series of movies with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope--with titles like "The
Road to Morocco" and "The Road to Zanzibar." In each movie the
two traveled usually by accident to some exotic locale where there comic
adventures took place. Well, the road to Emmaus is a journey to the most exotic
of all locations and it is a journey that all of us must take.
Today's gospel account is so
familiar that sometimes it is easy to overlook what is really going on. As two
of the disciples were walking along the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus, Jesus
falls in with them but St. Luke tells us that "their eyes were prevented
from recognizing Him." They
take him for a stranger. When He asks them what they had been discussing, they
tell Him of the events since the Crucifixion and how some of the women had seen
an angel who gave them the incredible news that Jesus was alive. The news astonished
them and they found it difficult to believe.
The stranger scolds them,
Oh,
how foolish you are!
How
slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke.
Scholars tell us that what
follows is like a Mass or liturgy. Jesus reminds them of the scriptures which
has referred to the Messiah beginning with Moses and continuing down through
the prophets. As they approach Emmaus, the disciples ask the stranger to stay
with them. He accepts and they sit down to share a meal. He then offers a sacrifice
of thanksgiving or eucharist in the same way that He does at every Mass.
he
took bread, said the blessing,
broke
it, and gave it to them.
Finally, in the breaking of
the bread they recognized Him. At every Mass we hear the Scriptures read. They
tell us not only of the predictions of a Messiah, but of the actual words and
deeds of the Messiah. Then after the readings we join Him at the altar table
and He comes to us or we come to Him in the breaking of the bread.
In today's second reading St.
Peter again speaks and reminds us of our journey. He says,
conduct
yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning...
Peter uses a strange
expression here. He says that we were "ransomed." Today we think of
ransom as a payment made to free someone from kidnappers. In the ancient world
slavery was much more common than it is today. Prisoners taken in battle or
piracy were sold into slavery. Only if family or friends could raise enough
money could the captive be bought back out of slavery. Obviously, if someone
came up with the ransom to free you, you would be eternally grateful to that
person. Moreover, once freed you would never want to return to slavery.
Isn't it obvious from reading
the newspapers or watching TV that so many of us are enslaved to one harmful
addiction or another. Has Easter made any real difference in our conduct or
relationships? Now we are halfway through the Easter season. In the weeks to
come we can discover the road to happiness. Our journey to Emmaus can begin
today. We have heard the Scriptures. Now in a few minutes we will have the
opportunity to recognize Him in the breaking of the bread.
###
Reading 1. 2: 14, 22-33
Reading II. 1 Peter 1: 17-21
Gospel. Luke 24: 13-35 (road to Emmaus.)
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