Our Hearts Ablaze: Encountering the Risen Lord

The Journey to Emmaus: A Path of Hope

Dearly beloved in Christ, as the morning light breaks upon this Third Sunday of Easter, our hearts are drawn once more to the sacred narrative of our salvation. Today, the Church invites us to walk alongside two sorrowful disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). Their journey, fraught with desolation and dashed hopes after the crucifixion of our Lord, mirrors often our own spiritual wanderings. They walked, discussing and grieving, their eyes fixed on the dust of the road, unable to perceive the Divine Companion who had so graciously joined them.

It is a profound mystery, this blindness that can afflict even the most fervent hearts. Though they spoke of Jesus, though their minds wrestled with the reports of His resurrection, their spirits remained veiled. How often do we, too, speak of Christ, ponder His mysteries, yet fail to truly recognize Him in our midst, in the seemingly ordinary moments of our lives, or in the trials that beset us? Let us ask for the grace to ever remain alert, that we might never miss the divine presence walking beside us.

The Word Made Clear: An Open Door to Understanding

But the Risen Lord, in His infinite mercy, did not abandon them to their sorrow. He patiently drew near, feigning ignorance, and then began to unfold the sacred Scriptures, 'beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures.' What a divine catechesis that must have been! Imagine the words of the prophets, the narratives of salvation history, suddenly illuminated by the very One whom they foretold. As Saint Jerome, that venerable Doctor of the Church, wisely proclaimed:

"Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ."

Indeed, it was through the lens of God's revealed Word, interpreted by Christ Himself, that their understanding began to stir. Their hearts, once heavy with grief, started to warm within them. This is the enduring power of Sacred Scripture – not merely a collection of ancient texts, but a living Word, breathed by God, capable of igniting within us the fire of divine truth and preparing our souls for a deeper encounter with the Risen Lord. Let us, therefore, embrace Holy Scripture not as a burden, but as a map to our salvation, a lamp unto our feet, and a divine conversation partner.

The Breaking of the Bread: Eyes Opened to Truth

As evening approached, they pressed Him to stay, and He acquiesced, entering their home. It was at table, when 'he took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them,' that their eyes were finally opened. In that most humble, yet most sacred, of gestures – the breaking of the bread – they recognized Him. The veil was lifted, the Risen Christ stood before them, and then, He vanished from their sight.

My brothers and sisters, is this not the very heart of our Catholic faith? Is this not the enduring mystery of the Holy Eucharist? In every Mass, Christ Jesus, the same Risen Lord, takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to us. In this most precious Sacrament, He makes Himself truly present – Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity – nourishing us, strengthening us, and revealing Himself to our spiritual eyes. Just as for the disciples on the road, it is in this divine banquet that our own journey culminates in recognition, where our spiritual blindness is healed, and our hearts are filled with supernatural joy and understanding.

Hearts Ablaze for Mission

Their recognition of Christ did not lead to quiet contemplation alone. Instead, their 'hearts burning within them' spurred them into immediate action. They rose at once, even in the late hour, and returned to Jerusalem to share the good news with the Apostles and their companions. The encounter with the Risen Lord transformed their sorrow into zeal, their doubt into unwavering faith, and their weariness into missionary fervor.

This, dear friends of Sanctus Mission, is our own vocation. Having encountered the Risen Christ in Word and Sacrament, our hearts, too, must be set ablaze. We are called not to hoard this divine fire but to share it with a world that walks in various forms of spiritual desolation. Let our recognition of Him compel us to tirelessly support the missions, to uplift the artisans who beautify our worship, and to pray for all those who tirelessly spread the Gospel. May the joy of Easter, recognized in the breaking of the bread, transform our lives into living testimonies of Christ's enduring love and His glorious resurrection.