Third Sunday of the Easter Season
Imagine that we are on the road to Emmaus with the other two disciples. Cleopas and his companion are full of fear, confusion, and uncertainty. They tell stories about Jesus, even though their hopes ended with his violent death. Even though they have heard that he has been raised from the dead, they are still trying to figure out what that means. Now he has appeared to some of the women of their group of disciples. They wonder: Is this some sort of fantasy? Or is it some sort of trick the Devil is playing on them.
The disciples in the Early Church had a lot to figure out. This was a new reality that they did not yet understand. Cleopas and his friend felt comfortable talking to Jesus on their journey. Jesus brought understanding and encouragement to them as they walked and talked together. They were comforted by his very presence, even though at the time, they did not realize it was Jesus himself. Sometimes on our journey of faith, we feel comfortable and encouraged. But, sometimes, we change on our journey of faith, or the world changes around us. We are confronted with a new reality that we cannot make sense of and that we cannot understand. I think that most of us had been chugging along on our journey of faith, having a routine and feeling a sense of comfort with our relationship with God. But, then, the pandemic hit. Schools, businesses, restaurants, and churches are all closed. We don’t know where all of this is going, do we?
The disciples in the Early Church had a lot to figure out. This was a new reality that they did not yet understand. Cleopas and his friend felt comfortable talking to Jesus on their journey. Jesus brought understanding and encouragement to them as they walked and talked together. They were comforted by his very presence, even though at the time, they did not realize it was Jesus himself. Sometimes on our journey of faith, we feel comfortable and encouraged. But, sometimes, we change on our journey of faith, or the world changes around us. We are confronted with a new reality that we cannot make sense of and that we cannot understand. I think that most of us had been chugging along on our journey of faith, having a routine and feeling a sense of comfort with our relationship with God. But, then, the pandemic hit. Schools, businesses, restaurants, and churches are all closed. We don’t know where all of this is going, do we?
But like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, God is there with us to help us make sense of things. When we are confronted with a changing reality, there are new opportunities, new blessings, and room for growth and development. Perhaps some of us are now realizing how much we have taken our faith for granted. Perhaps we are looking at new, creative ways in which we can live out our faith. Perhaps the new technologies we are using to keep in touch with our faith can serve us even when public masses and public church activities resume. Perhaps we are realizing the importance of community in our life of faith. Let us reach out to God during this time. He will help us make sense of thing.
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