“...SOMETHING PREVENTED THEM FROM RECOGNIZING HIM...”
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
The Gospel for today, the Third Sunday of Easter is often called the Emmaus Experience. It is the account of two of Jesus’s disciples and their experience of the risen Jesus as they journeyed to Emmaus. Recounting what had happened to the man they hoped would have freed them from the domination of the Romans, “Jesus himself came up and walked by their side, but something prevented them from recognizing him.” They must have said those very words when “they told their story of what had happened to them on the road...” They had to make that excuse, because it’s very strange that a friend or teacher you witnessed dying, appears by your side three days after his death and you don’t even say to the person, “but wait, you sound like him, you even look like him”.
But what was that something? It was the confusion, the doubt, the fear, the uncertainty. They were too bogged down, too depressed, to recognize that the risen Jesus was, in fact, by their side.
We are exactly in the same situation today. Over the past weeks we have seen our nation, region, and world reeling under COVID-19. We’ve heard of the thousands who are suffering and the thousands who are dying and have died. In spite of it all, Easter is here, Jesus is risen and is going before us into our “Galilee.” Yes, he is risen and is at our side, but something prevents us from recognizing him. That something is COVID-19.
For our eyes to be opened to recognize him, we have to pray to him to stay with us. Open our eyes, we want to see Jesus. Amen.
Fr. Clement Paul Rev. Stephen Joseph
Parish Priest Parish Deacon.
For the full account read the Gospel of Luke chapter 24: 13-35.
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
The Gospel for today, the Third Sunday of Easter is often called the Emmaus Experience. It is the account of two of Jesus’s disciples and their experience of the risen Jesus as they journeyed to Emmaus. Recounting what had happened to the man they hoped would have freed them from the domination of the Romans, “Jesus himself came up and walked by their side, but something prevented them from recognizing him.” They must have said those very words when “they told their story of what had happened to them on the road...” They had to make that excuse, because it’s very strange that a friend or teacher you witnessed dying, appears by your side three days after his death and you don’t even say to the person, “but wait, you sound like him, you even look like him”.
But what was that something? It was the confusion, the doubt, the fear, the uncertainty. They were too bogged down, too depressed, to recognize that the risen Jesus was, in fact, by their side.
We are exactly in the same situation today. Over the past weeks we have seen our nation, region, and world reeling under COVID-19. We’ve heard of the thousands who are suffering and the thousands who are dying and have died. In spite of it all, Easter is here, Jesus is risen and is going before us into our “Galilee.” Yes, he is risen and is at our side, but something prevents us from recognizing him. That something is COVID-19.
For our eyes to be opened to recognize him, we have to pray to him to stay with us. Open our eyes, we want to see Jesus. Amen.
Fr. Clement Paul Rev. Stephen Joseph
Parish Priest Parish Deacon.
For the full account read the Gospel of Luke chapter 24: 13-35.
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