Speaking of today’s gospel, Pope Benedict XVI said “The road to Emmaus actually represents every place: the road that leads there is the road every Christian, every person, takes. The risen Jesus makes himself our traveling companion as we go our way, to rekindle the warmth of faith and hope in our hearts and to break the bread of eternal life”
The disappointment and the sadness of the two disciples represent the common experience of most people. Their description of their experience tells it all: “We were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel”. They speak in the past tense implying that they have lost all hope. When Christ walked among them they had been filled with hope. But witnessing His crucifixion and death and burial seemed to have crushed all their expectations. The resurrection and appearances of Christ will change all that. Having walked with Him and sitting down to share a meal they recognize Him “in the breaking of the bread”. On our pilgrimage of life we experience many disappointments and we lose hope. But the risen one walks with us on the road of life every day. Like the two disciples we are blind to his presence. Often we must walk many miles (years) before our eyes are open to His presence.
Our weekly gathering for mass is where we most often have our hope restored. The Eucharist is our weekly coming together to listen to the Lord’s Word and to share the gift of His Body and Blood, His abiding presence in the Eucharist .
This drama of the disciples of Emmaus appears like a reflection of the situation of many Christians of our time .Sometimes we feel abandoned and forgotten even by the Lord. But this road we walk is the way of purification and maturation. He walks with you daily. Listen to his Word and reflect on it and participate in the breaking of bread, the Eucharist, every week. In that way you too will come to say “our eyes were opened and we recognized Him in the breaking of bread”.
Msgr. Brennan