THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
This is the day the LORD hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Acts 2:14, 36-47
1 Peter 1:17-21
Luke 24:13-35
Psalm 116:12-19
Those two men were walking and not enjoying their walk very much. They
couldn't forget the recent events that had caused them so much grief.
These two men knew Jesus well. They had listened to His teaching,
witnessed the miracles, and stood in fear as He suffered on the cross.
Yet they did not recognize Jesus as He walked along with them on the
road to Emmaus. These men were no doubt familiar with the words of
scripture even before Jesus imparted its truths to them. Would not
something have tipped off these men to the identity of their companion?
Perhaps their grief was . . .
THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
This is the day the LORD hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Acts 2:14, 36-47
1 Peter 1:17-21
Luke 24:13-35
Psalm 116:12-19
Those two men were walking and not enjoying their walk very much. They couldn't forget the recent events that had caused them so much grief. These two men knew Jesus well. They had listened to His teaching, witnessed the miracles, and stood in fear as He suffered on the cross. Yet they did not recognize Jesus as He walked along with them on the road to Emmaus. These men were no doubt familiar with the words of scripture even before Jesus imparted its truths to them. Would not something have tipped off these men to the identity of their companion? Perhaps their grief was too distracting. Perhaps they were too stunned by the account of the resurrection, and not knowing what to do next, they could not see who accompanied them on this journey.
They were shocked to find that their walking companion didn't have a clue about the tragedy of Golgotha. When the companion(Jesus) seemed ignorant and uninformed and asked "What things? their response was "What planet are you from?" Little did Cleopas know that the person to whom he directed that question was the one who had called the planets and everything else into existence during the six days of creation and little did he know that the third person in their walking group was the risen LORD. Because he and the other, unnamed disciple did not have that knowledge, their walk was filled with sadness. The two men asked their walking companion to join them for supper as day was coming to a close.
But then it happened. In an ordinary action during the meal together, the recognition came. The risen Jesus touched a memory of the Jesus the two had known before the resurrection. Jesus was "made known to them in the breaking of the bread." Suddenly, the grace, love, and forgiveness they had known in Jesus during His earthly pilgrimage were rekindled and renewed.
Christian friends, We, too, know the risen LORD in the breaking of the bread. At every eucharistic meal, the bread is broken, the cup is poured out. By the power of the resurrection Jesus breaks into our lives. Life is new, hope abounds, sins are forgiven, salvation is assured. The crucified and risen One assures us of His love. In the breaking of the bread, He who is the bread of life shares Himself with us. Christ our meal is with us always. Here is the great mercy of Easter's fifty days: God satisfies our hunger with God's own life, given us in Jesus Christ. May we trust the Shepherd of our souls to kindle our hearts as we grow in His Word.
As we walk along the road of life,
We can sense that Jesus is there too;
As we read His Word and hear His voice
We find He kindles fire anew.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - You cannot start a fire in another's heart till it is burning in your own.
PRAY with me. O almighty and eternal God, now that You have assured us of the completion of our redemption through the resurrection of our LORD Jesus, give us the will to show forth in our lives what we profess with our lips. Amen