Third Sunday of Easter

Today's Mass Readings

Have there been times in your life when you were doing something routine, and suddenly a sense of self-awareness overcame you? Say you are doing laundry or cutting grass, or doing dishes or driving to work, and suddenly the question pops in your mind, “What am I doing?” or “What is my life all about?” I was driving from one hospital to another last week, taking communion to the sick and, behind the wheels, a similar thing happened. I asked myself, “What am I doing? Am I crazy visiting sick people who really are not either family or friends or people who otherwise I would not visit? What am I doing with my life anyway?” Thank God, that day I had consecrated hosts in my coat pocket. Just at that moment the fact that I was taking the risen Christ to helpless people consumed me. I said to myself, “I am so fortunate that I get to take the very presence of God to people who are struggling.” I don’t make a lot of money, I don’t get kudos for taking care of the sick, it is not the most advertized job in the world, but I get to bring the hope, love and healing that only Christ can give. Is there anything more precious than that? That consciousness was worth everything that I live for. Today’s gospel reading is a continuation of the story of the disciples on the way to Emmaus. On the way, they too were overcome by self-awareness. Life seemed pretty lost for them. But as today’s gospel reading says, “The two disciples recounted what had taken place on the way, and how Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of bread” (Lk 24:35). This was the disciples’ way of saying how Jesus became real to them in the Eucharist. Perhaps, it will help to know that the connection between the real presence of Christ and the breaking of the bread is not something that the disciples knew from a book. They discovered that by experience. They had to make connection between the multiplication loaves, the Last Supper and the presence of Christ in the breaking of the bread. This perhaps took a few weeks and months for them to realize. But once they did, the early Christian community would meet often for the breaking of the bread. This presence was so important to the early Christians, that in spite of the persecution, in spite of the risk to life, in spite of cost involved they continued to meet for the breaking of the bread. In fact, many of them gave up their lives for this cause. For them the experience Christ in the breaking of the bread was more important than their own life.

Let me offer some points for reflection:

1) Somehow, we have to get back the early Christian consciousness of the connection between the real presence, scripture, and the breaking of the bread. When the disciples recounted how they had recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread, Jesus once again became present to them, ate with them and then opened their minds to understand the scriptures. Aren’t these the same things that happen at the Eucharist? Right now, right here, Christ is opening our minds to the Scriptures, Right now, right here, we will break bread. Right now, Christ chooses to be here in our midst. Right now, Christ chooses to speak to us. Right now, Christ chooses to be present to us in a real way. Right now, our hearts should be on fire for the Christ who comes to us. Like the early Christians let us develop a deeper awareness of the presence of Christ in the breaking of the bread. I want us to enter into the very depths of the meaning of these actions like the early Christians did.

2) The disciples on the road to Emmaus did something totally different than they had originally set out to do. After their experience of the risen Christ in the breaking of the bread, they returned to Jerusalem instead of proceeding to Emmaus. In other words, they brought the presence of the risen Christ to the rest of them who were still afraid, hopeless, and dismayed. And when they did, Christ did become present again in a new way. This is such a powerful imagery. If this breaking of the bread means anything to us, if we believe that this is the highpoint of our lives, then we must take this presence to others. It is the most natural thing to do. How many people we know could do with Christ’s real presence today? I can think of hundreds right now. And Christ depends on us to take from here the real presence of Christ. Someday some of these people will themselves partake in the breaking of the bread. There is a word for this – “EVANGALIZATION.”

3) Both Peter in today’s first reading and John in today’s second reading talk about sin. Peter says, “You denied the Holy and Righteous One… The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses. Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away" (Acts 3:15, 19). John too says, “But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him” (1 Jn 2:5a). But then, just before saying that, John considers sin as not living the “truth” of Christ’s presence in us. (1 Jn 2: 4). In light of these readings, I would like to look at sin a little differently than we normally look at it. Sin means not acknowledging the real presence of Christ in us. We must allow the presence of Christ in the breaking of bread to transform us radically. We must take the presence of Christ to those who need it. We must allow the presence of Christ to become the central force in our lives. The breaking of the bread must define our very existence. If we do so, then it won’t be sin but Christ that will rule our hearts.

This altar is a very holy and sacred place. Here Christ comes to us week after week. But then, the street and the highway is a very holy and sacred place. That is where Christ met the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Let us allow the altar and the street to meet in our lives. May Christ be alive in our lives. Amen.

- Fr. Satish Joseph