With Burning Hearts: The Immanuel Experience!

(Homily for the 3^rd Sunday of Easter Year A)

     The mystery of Jesus’ Resurrection is the nucleus of the fulfillment of all that God promised in the Scriptures. The Event of Christ’s Resurrection is at the center of today’s readings. In the three readings we see a convinced proclamation of the realism and thus the credibility of the Resurrection, for what was a mere figure in the Old covenant became in Jesus a reality. In the Gospel we see the Risen Lord walking and accompanying the two disciples of Emmaus, he “explains the scriptures to them starting from Moses to all the Prophets.” In the First reading, Peter in his first discourse on the Resurrection to the Jews of Jerusalem, cites the words of Prophet Joel, and there we could see a sort of an anticipation of the Resurrection of Christ, “for you will not abandon me to Hades or allow your holy one to see corruption” (Acts. 2:27). The second reading traces the divine plan of God even from eternity, “He was destined before the foundation of the world but was made manifest at the end of the times for your sake” (1Pt. 1:20). The three readings proclaim incessantly the realism of the Resurrection of Jesus, as basically the work of God.

     In fact, as St. Augustine would have it, “The New Testament is found hidden in the Old Testament”, as such he indicated the process of continuity in the Revelation of God, in the course of Salvation history. Little wonder, Jesus explained the Scriptures to the two disciples of Emmaus, what Moses (The Pentateuch) and the Prophets said about His Event. What could be the texts that Jesus was alluding to when he was speaking to these disciples? Even though St. Luke does not mention any here, but reading through the Old Testament we can make references to Deut. 32:39, where God is revealed as the One “who gives death and life”; Amos 9:2, where it is said that “God has power even over Sheol”, and in Psalm 16:10: “for you will not abandon me to Sheol, you cannot allow your faithful servant to see the abyss” etc. In as much as we talk about continuity in Divine Revelation, we cannot but emphasize that the New Testament surpasses the Old Testament, mainly the passage from the presentation of  Resurrection as a mere figure, to the reality itself of Jesus’ Resurrection in the New Testament. The mystery of the Resurrection was hidden in the heart of the Father, and he left a spark of it in the Old Testament in order to reawaken hope in his people. In the New Testament the Father reveals His Heart not by mere words, but through facts and actions, by rising Jesus from the dead. An insuperable mystery that surpasses the strength of reason and the revelation of the Old Testament, as it continues to be “scandal”, for the Jews and for unbelievers. But for us, who believe, it is the power of God and the wisdom of God (cf. 1Cor. 2:1-5).

     In the Gospel (Lk. 24:13-35) St. Luke presents one of the most interesting narratives in the New Testament and the most beautiful of all the appearances stories. It is indeed, a Gospel in a Gospel. Jesus in this encounter sums up the whole history of salvation and shows us two major ways of recognizing him: through the word and the breaking of the bread (the liturgy of the word and the liturgy of the Eucharist, as it takes place in every Mass), two elements that are intrinsic to his person, identity and mission. Truly, this story warms the heart; it makes our heart burn also. The narrative revolves around two disciples, popularly identified as the disciples of Emmaus, who were on a retrogressive journey to their Land. On their way, they were talking and discussing, but shrouded in doubt and fear, with some dints of unbelief. “Jesus drew near and went with them” (v.15). Now in their midst, he walked with them, He accompanied them (A God who is a companion of man), he reminded them of His words and taught them the Scriptures. Yet, his appearance did not take their doubt and fear away, rather something was gradually happening deep within them, which they will confess at the end.

     If we paid attention we see that St. Luke talks about two disciples, but he mentioned the name of one of them Cleopas, and the other is unknown to us as far as the Lucan Gospel is concerned. There is a traditional belief that it could probably be a man Cleopas and his wife. But in my reflection I would like to consider the idea of not mentioning the second name as symbolic, for the unknown disciple is a representation of all mankind, you and I. While Cleopas represents the specific disciples, the other disciple is you and I. For the Event of Jesus is to reach the whole of the earth, to cover the whole world, and to touch all mankind. It has to reach geographically everywhere. It has to cover socially all human affairs and conditions. And above all, it has to touch spiritually the deepest depth of man, his heart, mind and conscience. Drawing the issue further, I would like to remember another interpretative key to this narrative given by Bishop R. Barron in his homily with the caption: “Emmaus and Genesis”, he considered the journey of the two disciples as a journey away from the Garden, from salvation, like Adam and Eve they turned to walk in a wrong direction. No matter what we do God comes to walk with us, like in Genesis he comes seeking us out from our hideout.

     The Lucan episode of the appearance of the Risen Lord to the two disciples of Emmaus serves in no small way as a help for Christians of all times, to be on the move towards the discovery and rediscovery of the presence of the Risen Lord. This is one of the most suggestive passages of the Gospel of St. Luke. The two disciples on their way to Emmaus were downcast and disappointed, they were already conjugating their hope in the past, “We thought he would be the one to set Israel free” (Lk. 24:21). Like them, sometimes we are so heavy burdened by fear and unbelief that we begin to conjugate our hope in the past. “I thought, I was thinking, Had it been, But” etc. Certainly, they were aware that some of the women and the apostles talked about a vision of an Angel who affirmed that He is alive, they were also aware that some of the apostles ran to the tomb and they saw the tomb empty. This certainly must have been a trying moment for the apostles, but instead of scattering, they gathered together in Jerusalem, yet after hearing all this, these two disciples set out on a journey of separation from the community of believers. Here we see the Devil at work, as the one who divides and scatters. Practically they did not believe in the Resurrection of Christ, disappointed as they were, they wanted to distance themselves from Jerusalem, from the other disciples. But incredibly, the mystery of Jesus’ Resurrection is a “moving mystery”, as they try to run away from it, the mystery goes to meet them. He walks alongside them, he flanked them, but they could not recognize him.

     Along the journey Jesus rebuked those two disciples for their disorientation and lack of understanding. They were walking with the main Actor of their discussion and story without recognizing Him. But they needed to open their hearts and see with the eyes of faith. However, we see a gradual knowledge of Jesus by the two disciples in that journey. They distanced themselves from the rest of the disciples. Here there is a movement towards Emmaus, distancing themselves from the Holy City, but they will embark on a converse journey, going back to Jerusalem, this second movement is a journey of conversion, leaving their old life and reality and going back to the new life that the Risen Christ offers in the midst of the brothers. As we can see, Jesus called the two disciples to a change of destination, from their houses and the plan of going back may be to their former life, to go and be united with the other disciples in Jerusalem. So that they will be part of the movement for his Mission. Today Jesus is still meeting and accompanying us on our different existential roads, and he continues to call us to be part of the movement for his Mission. Today, some of us are heading towards wrong destinations but he is calling us back, we pray to have the Immanuel experience so as to rediscover his presence and turn towards the right destination.

     In this passage we see in the Risen Lord a God who goes to encounter man in his doubt, unbelief and even desperation. A God who does not impose himself, rather he proposes to man. Even, in the journey he respected the pace of each one. Little wonder, he respected their doubts, their unbelief and their fear, even though he reproached them and reminded them of His words concerning his Event. He re-explained to them the Scriptures and when they approached their destination, they invited this unknown stranger to stay with them. The Lord accepted their invitation and manifested himself conspicuously in the breaking of Bread. To crown it all, at table “he took the bread and blessed and broke it.” Certainly with a gesture well known to them and so typical of him; lo and behold, all fears, all doubts, all unbelief, all desperation disappeared. Now no more doubt! It is He! They now understood why their hearts were burning. Jesus is recognized at the breaking of the bread, not only with his explanation of the Scriptures. Therefore, we may well affirm that the sacrament illumines the word of God. In this encounter, the two disciples had a personal experience of the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. After the breaking of the Bread, and when Jesus disappeared from their midst without hesitation they began their journey back to Jerusalem, to go and share with the apostles what has happened, and there they found all attesting that “truly the Lord is risen and he has appeared to Simon” (Lk. 24:34). They went back to Jerusalem in order to rediscover the value of community, being together and sharing the Immanuel experience. Indeed, the highest spiritual experience is to feel and have the assurance of being accompanied by God. And that is the Immanuel experience. When Christ walks alongside with us, even when we are erring, he will redirect our steps to the Father. In the Immanuel experience the presence of Jesus revitalizes, vivifies, redirects our steps and sets us on the move!

     By means of this life changing event on the road to Emmaus, St. Luke intends to communicate to us as he did to the early Christians that Jesus the Risen Lord is alive, and he is in our midst even today. And one may ask how? ●We encounter Him in the Sacred Scriptures, little wonder St. Jerome opined that “ignorance of the Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” ●We encounter Him in the celebration of the Eucharist, “at the breaking of the Bread”, as did the two disciples of Emmaus. ●We encounter Him in the Christian Communities that professes her faith around Peter and with Peter. ●The Risen Christ is encountered in the community that works in his name, sanctifying souls through the sacraments and healing bodies by the power of his name. We remember the miracle at the Beautiful Gate by Peter: “In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!” (Acts. 3:6).

     In the first reading (Acts 2:14.22-33) we see part of the kerygmatic speech of Peter on the day of Pentecost. It introduced the central events of the death and resurrection of Jesus, with a reference to the earthly ministry of Jesus and ends with the proof of the resurrection. For Peter the faith in the Risen Christ cannot be closed up in the private, deep within the individual consciences, rather it has to explode in a joyful and courageous proclamation. He is a prototype a true Christian, a splendid example for every disciple of Christ. A Christian is one who proclaims with a high voice his faith in Jesus Christ died and raised, he or she proclaims it courageously and publicly.

     In the second reading (1Pt.1:17-21) St. Peter affirms rigorously that God raised Jesus from the dead. And this is the fundamental nucleus of our Kerygma. This is always the joyful proclamation: The crucified and risen Christ. However, St. Peter invites each and every one of us to recognize and be conscious of the price that was paid for our Redemption. A call therefore, to be value his Presence, the Immanuel experience! In that bid, he affirmed that in the Christ Event “we were ransomed by the blood of the lamb”, thereby interpreting the death of Christ in terms of the Passover. And again, blood alludes to the event of the cross, where Jesus surrendered himself totally to the Father for our liberation.

     Above all, in today’s Gospel passage St. Luke intends to give us a consoling message, his intent is to help us to rediscover the presence of the Risen Lord, to be conscious that he walks with us, He is our companion in our earthly and spiritual journey, especially those moments we are disoriented, confused and at the verge of giving up, especially at this particular time in the world history. He is close to us with his Words (The Scriptures) and the Sacrament of His Body and Blood. Invariably this narrative of St. Luke is replete with a message of hope for us, the present disciples of Jesus, and that is the fact that Jesus is alive, he has risen and he is present in the world. He is present in different ways: The Scriptures is the first way of discovering the presence of the Risen Lord in our midst. The breaking of the Bread is the second way. Then the third way is what they two disciples did, by inviting Him: “Stay with us Lord, because it is evening”. This invocation is at the heart of the Immanuel experience. Their caring heart and gesture occasioned the breaking of the Bread. If they had not invited him, they would not have recognized Him. Lastly, the fourth way is in fraternal communion with the brethren (little wonder they went back to Jerusalem). May we all join our voices together to those of the disciples in saying: “Stay with us Lord”, in our life, in our families, and in all that we do! Let us thank the Lord Jesus for making Himself available to us, for being so ready to accompany us in our daily life and equally desirous of giving himself to us in the Eucharist. May the Risen Christ help us not to remain slaves to our interpretations and world views. May He open our hearts to welcome his words and his presence in our life. Happy Sunday Friends!

(Fr. Vitus M.C. Unegbu, SC)