First Reading: Acts 2.14, 22b – 28. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 16. Second Reading: 1
Peter 1.17 – 21. Gospel: Luke 24. 13 – 35.
The Emmaus story is like a gospel within the gospel. It is so rich a lesson that it serves as a
summary of our own bonding with Jesus Christ. For these disciples on the road to Emmaus,
the future looked grim indeed. For the previous few years, life had been exciting and they
were captivated by the Gospel message of Jesus. But it emerges that they hadn’t grasped
some vital parts of what he had said. We can empathize with them, because mostly we too
tend to pick and choose the parts of his message that please us, and fail to take seriously
other words of the Lord.
After his death on the cross, they felt all was lost. But Jesus used the Jewish scriptures to
enlighten them. The prophecies declare the divine promises and reveal the saving plan of
God. The Scriptures have power like an electric current, and are inspired by the Spirit of
God. When he opened the meaning of God’s Word to them, they began to understand his
cross in a totally new light. They saw it not as a total disaster but as the start of a new age of
grace.
Once arrived in Emmaus, they recognised him also in the breaking of bread. The prayerful
sharing of a meal among friends was a living symbol of friendship and trust. What was
special about the way Jesus broke the bread is an intriguing question. Perhaps it was the
spirit of self-giving that he invested in the act that showed them who he really was. There
was a level of focus, of sharing and of sacredness unique to Jesus, something they had
experienced previously, before his passion. His presence touched their deepest hungers, and
the bread he broke was not just physical. It was food that they opened their hearts as well as
their mouths to receive.
The Emmaus story speaks to people of all ages. We can see ourselves in these two weary
travellers on their journey, the faith and hope they have lost, the future they have hoped for
fallen apart. And yet they met an unknown friend walking the road with them, who
gave them a fresh insight, and connected the new world with the world they knew. And, of
course, he is present in a particular way in the Eucharist, in the breaking of bread, full of the
many meanings that breaking bread had for Jesus himself, during his life and after the
resurrection.
We may say, “what a privilege for the two disciples on the road to Emmaus to meet Jesus,
to listen to him explaining the Scriptures to them, to share in the Eucharist with Jesus.” Yes
it certainly was a wonderful privilege. You might say you would love to have been with
those two disciples on the road, you would love to have been part of this experience on the
road to Emmaus. But, in fact, every time we celebrate the Eucharist here we meet Jesus in
the same way. Jesus explained the Scriptures to the two disciples; “he interpreted to them in
all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27) and we also listen to the
Scriptures. Then Jesus “took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them” (Luke
24:30) and we partake of the Body of Jesus in the Eucharist.
It was Jesus who directed the encounter on the road to Emmaus, firstly explaining the
Scriptures and then breaking bread with the disciples. The chief celebrant was Jesus. He had
the leading role in the encounter. It was he who decided that firstly the Scriptures should be
explained and secondly that there would be a Eucharistic meal. Every time we celebrate the
sacraments it is Jesus who is the chief celebrant. Jesus is the chief celebrant of this Mass and
every Mass. Jesus’ offering of himself on the cross is the same offering now made by the
priest during the sacrifice of the Mass when that one sacrifice on Calvary is extended
through time to us now. It is the same Christ who once offered himself on the cross who now
offers himself at Mass through the priest. Not only at Mass but in every sacrament Jesus is
the one leading us in our celebration. Jesus is the chief celebrant of every sacrament. You
might say you would love to have been with those two disciples on the road, you would love
to have been part of this experience on the road to Emmaus. When you come to Mass you
meet Jesus just like those two disciples.
“And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the
scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24:27) Jesus fed the two disciples on the
road with a correct interpretation of Scripture and then fed them with his Body and Blood.
We have the same experience during every Mass. Jesus is present with us not only in his
Flesh and Blood in the Eucharist but also when we listen to the Word of God in the Scripture
readings. You could say we are nourished in two ways from one table at Mass, the table of
God’s word and the table of the Eucharist,
…the Church has always venerated the Scriptures as she venerates the Lord’s Body.
She never ceases to present to the faithful the bread of life, taken from the one table
of God’s Word and Christ’s Body.(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 103. Vatican
II Dei Verbum 21).
We have two candles lighting during Mass symbolizing these two ways in which Christ is
present to us in the “one table of God’s Word and Christ’s Body.” Therefore as the Scripture
readings are proclaimed we want to give them our full attention because we are being fed by
God. In fact it is Jesus himself who is talking to us as the Scriptures are proclaimed to us,
He is present in His word, since it is He Himself who speaks when the holy
scriptures are read in the Church.
What an awesome responsibility on those who proclaim the Word of God to us. Jesus chided
the two disciples, “O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have
spoken!” (Luke 24:25) I think Jesus would say the same to us if we too were slow of heart to
believe that he speaks to us in his Word at Mass.
When we hear the Word of God not only do we hear it with our ears and understand it
with our minds but the Holy Spirit works within us to allow the Word of God to heal and
renew us just as the Word healed and renewed the two disciples on the road to Emmaus
burning their hearts, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road,
while he opened to us the scriptures?” (Luke 24:32) The disciples did not realize at the time
that their hearts were burning within them, it was only later they realized this. Without they
realizing it the Holy Spirit had been working on their hearts, changing their hearts and
renewing them. “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while
he opened to us the scriptures?” The Holy Spirit works on us too when the Word of God is
proclaimed every time we gather in Church. You might say you would love to have been
with those two disciples on the road, you would love to have been part of this experience on
the road to Emmaus. But every time we come here to celebrate Mass our hearts burn within
us even if like the two disciples we don’t realize it.
When Jesus was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave
it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their
sight. (Luke 24:30-31) It is strange that Jesus vanished immediately but surely Jesus wanted
them to understand that he is present with the Church every time it celebrates as they did on
that road to Emmaus. During the Last Supper Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me.”
(Luke 22:19) Jesus did the same four things with the bread on the road to Emmaus as he did
at the Last Supper; he took it, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them. Jesus himself taught
them on the road to Emmaus that when they do this in remembrance of him he really is with
them and their hearts burn within. From now on every time they do this in remembrance of
Jesus he will be with them just as he was with them on the road to Emmaus. Every time we
do this in remembrance of Jesus he is with us just as he was with the two disciples on the
road to Emmaus.
Every time we celebrate a sacrament it is Christ as Priest who bestows the sacrament upon
us. Christ as the Priest of the New Covenant is the chief celebrant of every sacrament,
…every liturgical celebration, because it is an action of Christ the priest and of His
Body which is the Church, is a sacred action surpassing all others. Rightly, then,
the liturgy is considered as an exercise of the priestly office of Jesus Christ.
This is why only ordained priests can celebrate Mass because they received their priesthood
from Christ during their Ordination and their priesthood is a sharing in the one Priesthood of
Jesus. Jesus is the one Priest of the New Covenant but during the Last Supper Jesus shared
his priesthood with his apostles and they and their successors are the priests of the New
Covenant. Every time we celebrate a sacrament it is Christ as Priest who bestows the
sacrament upon us.
We may say, “what a privilege for the two disciples on the road to Emmaus to meet Jesus,
to listen to him explaining the Scriptures to them, to share in the Eucharist with Jesus.” Yes
it certainly was a wonderful privilege. But every time we celebrate the Eucharist here we
meet Jesus in the same way and are nourished from the one table of God’s Word and
Christ’s Body.
God bless