May your people exult for ever, O God, in renewed youthfulness of spirit, so that, rejoicing now in the restored glory of our adoption, we may look forward in confident hope to the rejoicing of the day of resurrection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
First Reading Acts 2:14, 22b-28
On the day of Pentecost, Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd, “People of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 22 Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know— 23 this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. 24 “But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. 25 For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will live in hope. 27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One experience corruption. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’”
Responsorial Psalm
Second Reading 1 Peter 1:17-21
If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. 18 You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. 20 Christ was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. 21 Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God.
Verse before the Gospel
Gospel Luke 24:13-35
On the first day of the week, two of the disciples were going to a village called Emmaus, about eleven kilometres from Jerusalem, 14 and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16 but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And Jesus said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” 19 Jesus asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. 22 Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23 and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that Jesus was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see Jesus.” 25 Then Jesus said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! 26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, Jesus interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. 28 As they came near the village to which they were going, Jesus walked ahead as if he were going on. 29 But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So Jesus went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized Jesus; and he vanished from their sight. 32 The two disciples said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” 33 That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. 34 These were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then the two disciples told what had happened on the road, and how the Lord had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Catena Nova
The fire of the Lord is Light Eternal; the lamps of believers are lit at this fire: “Gird your loins and light your lamps,” (Lk 12:35). It is because the days of our life are still night that a lamp is necessary. This is the fire which, according to the testimony of the disciples at Emmaus, the Lord Himself set within them: “Were not our hearts burning within us while He spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?” (Lk 24:32). He gives us evident proof of this fire’s action, enlightening man’s inmost heart. That is why the Lord will come in fire (Is 66,15) so as to devour our faults at the resurrection, fulfil each one’s desires with His Presence and cast His Light over their merits and mysteries.(St. Ambrose of Milan)
Do not forget, my friends, that it was in the breaking of the bread that the Lord Jesus wished to be recognized by those who till then had been kept from seeing who he was. Believers will know what I mean. They know Christ in the breaking of the bread, not any kind of bread, but the bread which has been blessed by Christ and has now become his body.(St. Augustine of Hippo)
When bread is broken, it is in a way diminished, or “emptied.” By breaking understand the virtue of humility, by which Christ—even he who is the bread of life— broke, diminished, and emptied himself. And by emptying himself he gave us knowledge of himself. The hidden Wisdom of the Father, and a treasure whole and concealed—what use are they? Break your bread for the hungry, Lord, the bread that is yourself, so that human eyes may be opened, and it may not be regarded as a sin for us to long to be like you, knowing good and evil. Let him know you through the breaking of bread, who from the beginning wished to strive after or grope for you in your undiminished state.(A 12th Century Author)
At the Day of Judgment we shall see the Flesh of Our Lord shine through the glorified body of those who have received Him worthily on earth, as we see gold shine in copper, or silver in lead. When we have just communicated, if we were asked, “What are you carrying away to your home?” we might answer, “I am carrying away Heaven. ” A saint said that we were Christ-bearers. It is very true; but we have not enough faith. We do not comprehend our dignity. When we leave the holy banquet, we are as happy as the Wise Men would have been, if they could have carried away the Infant Jesus. Take a vessel full of liquor, and cork it well – you will keep the liquor as long as you please. So if you were to keep Our Lord well and recollectedly, after Communion, you would long feel that devouring fire which would inspire your heart with an inclination to good and a repugnance to evil. When we have the good God in our heart, it ought to be very burning. The heart of the disciples of Emmaus burnt within them from merely listening to His voice.(St. John Vianney)
Let us observe, too, when it was that their eyes were opened… when He consecrated and broke the Bread. There is evidently a stress laid on this in the gospel… for so it was ordained, that Christ should not be both seen and known at once, first He was seen, then He was known. Only by faith is He known to be present… He removed His visible presence and left but a memorial of Himself. He vanished from sight that He might be present in a Sacrament and in order to connect His visible presence with His presence invisible, He for one instant, manifest Himself to their open eyes; manifested Himself, if I may so speak, while He passed from His hiding-place of sight without knowledge, to that of knowledge without sight.(St John Henry Newman)
Bread is food. It is wholesome, nourishing food for which we never lose our appetite. Under the form of bread God becomes for us even the food of life. “We break a bread,” writes Saint Ignatius of Antioch to the faithful at Ephesus, "we break a bread that is the food of immortality." By this food our being is so nourished with God himself that we exist in him and he in us.(Romano Guardini)
I’d like to draw attention to one element of this story, a story which offers not so much a key to reading scripture as an ongoing hermeneutical principle which we do not control, and which is alive independently of us and transforms us. This element is indispensable for those of us who are trying to imagine the catholic faith in the third millennium. It is the fact, little commented, that what is odd about the Emmaus story is that it is a dead man who is talking. I think it very important that we don’t make the separation which we are accustomed to when talking about the risen Jesus, imagining that he is alive, and for that reason, not dead. No, what is fascinating about the doctrine of the resurrection is that it is the whole human life of Jesus, including his death, which is risen. The life of God, since it is totally outside the order of human life and human death, doesn’t cancel death, as if it were a sickness which is to be cured, but takes it up, assumes it. Luke offers us a vision of a risen Jesus who has not ceased to be a dead man, and who, starting from his living-out-being-a-crucified-man, teaches and empowers his disciples by his presence.(James Alison)
Homily
Should they have known better? After all, what makes a Messiah a Messiah? It’s not like you go to school and get a diploma to prove you're the real thing. Even the proof Peter mentions —mighty deeds, wonders, and signs(I) are easy to fake. So you have to wonder, “How do you recognize the real Messiah?” The one Peter says wasknown before the foundation of the world(II)?
Well, the list of pretenders is pretty long — along with the Utopias they promised their followers. Like Lenin's “workers’ paradise” in Russia. Or Hitler's Third Reich to last a thousand years. Pol Pot promised Cambodia an agrarian Utopia. Mao Zedong's Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution promised a modern China.
So who knows what those two disciplesconversing and debatingon the road to Emmaus were thinking about this Jesus they hopedwould be the one to redeem Israel?Were theylooking downcastmore for their dashed dreams of a Kingdom of God to end Roman rule than the Crucified Pretender who told them to pray, "Your Kingdom come"? Probably.
Because it's easy to look for Messiahs and Utopias in all the wrong faces and all the wrong places, isn't it? Just ask the millions of people who died in gulags, in killing fields, in concentration and re-education camps run by the 20th Century pretenders I mentioned earlier. For it seems likethe eyes of most, as for those two disciples,are prevented from recognizingthe real thing, even should itdraw near and walk withyou (G). And even more dangerous are those who think they've found its counterpart.
Like Paula White, head of the White House Faith Office and Senior Advisor to the administration's Faith and Opportunity Initiative, who shortly before Easter said, “Jesus taught so many lessons through his death, burial and resurrection. He showed us great leadership, great transformation requires great sacrifice. And Mr. President, no one has paid the price like you have paid the price. It almost cost you your life. You were betrayed and arrested and falsely accused. It’s a familiar pattern that our lord and savior showed us. But it didn’t end there for him, and it didn’t end there for you. God always had a plan: On the third day, he rose, he defeated evil, he conquered death, hell and the grave. And because he rose, we all know that we can rise. And sir, because of his resurrection, you rose up. Because he was victorious, you are victorious. And I believe that the Lord said to tell you this: because of his victory, you will be victorious in all you put your hands to. "
Then her Christ-like figure — who this week posted an image of himself dressed as Jesus with light coming from his hands as he "healed the sick" — responded to White by smiling and saying “thank you”. But not before adding his own comparison: "On Palm Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem as crowds welcomed him with praise honoring him as king. They call me king now. Can you believe it?" Unfortunately, I can.
But just as fortunately, the Real Thing has left no doubt about counterfeit Messiahs and the Utopias they alone can make great again. For one thing, the Genuine Article isn’t very pushy, not at all a bully. You hardly notice him as he approaches. No fanfare, no handlers, no throngs of people yelling mindless slogans, no military parades, no arches of triumph. Instead, he walks beside us – not ahead of us. And even afteropening the Scriptures to us, he was ready to goon farther, untilurged, “Stay with us”(G). When he performed that one unmistakeable gesture to guarantee recognition -- breaking bread.
So there you have it.That's how you know the real from the fake. The fakes would never want to be recognized in a piece of broken bread. Nor would they prefer the poor to the rich, the weak to the strong, the sinner to the righteous, the least to the greatest, the lost to the found, the colt to the steed, the cross to a throne — where the true Messiah shed his ownprecious blood(II) to establish his Kingdom — unlike the fakes who are more than willing to shed other people's blood in pursuit of their aims. And never their own.
Thus was the Christdelivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God(I). For it wasnecessary that the Christ should suffer… and enter into his glory(G). Lest ourfaith and hopebe anywhere butin Godalone (cf. II) — and in no other. Who lives and reigns, world without end. Amen.
Intercessions
For the church: that the freedom brought by the resurrection may enable us to live with purpose and help others to forsake the fruitless pursuits of power, fame, and wealth.
For wisdom: that as we bring our lives, experiences, and relationships to the Eucharist each week, the Scriptures may help us recognize that Christ is with us in every aspect of life.
For all in our community: that the Spirit will guide our daily journeys and enable us to ease fear, bring hope, and offer encouragement to those who touch our lives.
For a deeper appreciation of the gift of the Eucharist: that we may be strengthened each week as we celebrate God's love in the liturgy and come to recognize Jesus more readily in our lives.
For all government leaders: that God will guide them in developing safe and prudent methods in matters of public health.
For all who are ill or homebound: that they may find companionship with God through the scriptures, recall with gratitude all who are significant in their life, and encourage others who are alone.
For peace: that God will end all violent conflicts, open new avenues for negotiations and bring forth structures that promote safety and justice for all.
Communion Antiphon. The disciples recognized the Lord Jesus in the breaking of bread, alleluia. V/. "O magnify the Lord with me, together let us extol his name.” O God of mystery, out of death you delivered Christ Jesus, and he walked in hidden glory with his disciples. Stir up our faith, that our hearts may burn within us at the sound of his word and our eyes be opened to recognise him in the breaking of the bread. Grant this through Jesus Christ, the firstborn from the dead, who lives and reigns with you now and always in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. (ICEL; 1998)
Offertory Antiphon
Offertory Hymn
Communion Antiphon
Closing Hymn (e.e. cummings)
i thank You God for most this amazing day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything which is natural which is infinite which is yes (i who have died am alive again today, and this is the sun’s birthday; this is the birth day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay great happening illimitably earth) how should tasting touching hearing seeing breathing any—lifted from the no of all nothing—human merely being doubt unimaginable You? (now the ears of my ears awake and now the eyes of my eyes are opened)
