Their Eyes Were Opened!

Their Eyes were opened!-While still a candidate for the deaconate I was tasked to give a homily for the 3rd Sunday of Easter. This article looks at Acts 2, Psalm 16, 1 Peter 1 and Luke 24. In this Gospel we read about this event where these two disciples are walking on the road to Emmaus. “That very day, the first day of the week” -Sunday, so the first Lord’s day!

Just like with these two the Risen Lord is with us as well, each Lord’s day.

BUT, do our eyes see him? Sometimes maybe not. Perhaps it is because we are blinded by work and worry, doubt, confusion and fear.

Or maybe it is because we put others or other things ahead of God and we don’t make time for him. And so he remains a stranger to us.

They were “slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke”—is what the Gospel says. They were missing something, trying to understand where he was, why he was not in the tomb. Like them we are a bit slow as well. Do we recognize him in the tabernacle in our churches?

Do we know, do you believe that he is there? Or are we like Thomas in Luke 20?

Jesus had warned them himself about what was to occur on Good Friday. He said

“The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise (Mark 9).”

So, it is interesting in this Gospel that the two don’t recognize him. They probably would have heard from the Apostles how just three days before at the last supper Jesus said to them “Take, eat; this is my body.” And when he took the cup he said, “Drink of it, all of you;”

The risen Christ opened up the scriptures to them. Then, while Jesus stayed with them “he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them”. And-Their eyes were opened!!

Does all this sound familiar? Maybe a little bit like the Mass? Wow! This Emmaus episode reflects the structure of the liturgy, where Jesus gives himself to the church in Word (through the Scriptures) and in the sacrament of the Eucharist-the bread of life.

We have the same experience during every Mass. Wherever, you attend the Mass, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Christ is present with us when we listen to the Word of God in the Scripture readings and in his Flesh and Blood in the Eucharist. Isn’t it wonderful?!

But, if these disciples struggled to recognize him, perhaps it is understandable today that we don’t.

 But it shouldn’t be so!

Whether during difficult times or in happy times. We should always talk to him through prayer. Tell him our struggles, thank him for the gifts in our life. In the course of these we will draw closer to him and we will begin to recognize him.

We will come to know him. We have the advantage of 2000 years of history, of the church teaching us about him. Today we have the advantage of great writers and Youtubers of our time-Scott Hahn, Peter Kreeft, Taylor Marshall to name a few.

We can come to know him in the daily Mass scripture readings. If you can’t attend daily Mass as most cannot, the readings-the Gospels are readily available at USCCB.org.

How is your prayer life? Praying everyday develops our relationship with him. How about praying a daily rosary or divine mercy chaplet. Prayer may also be just as simple as finding a quite place to sit with God in silence, maybe holding a crucifix in your hands and just gaze at it, let God speak to you.

These are a few minutes out of your day, but you will begin to grow closer to Him through this practice.

In 1 Peter 1:17-21 our first Pope tells us that God raised up Jesus-he was resurrected and that gives us great hope for our own resurrection at the end of time. Peter goes on to say “nor did his flesh see corruption”.

So, his flesh in incorruptible.

In the second reading of that Sunday St Peter refers to Christ as a spotless unblemished Lamb.

In the words of Psalm 16 we read “O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup, ...” Sounds a little Eucharistic as well! “my allotted portion and my cup”  

This points me to the most powerful way to encounter Christ.

To receive him in the Eucharist to receive the incorruptible flesh of the unblemished Lamb.

Our faith tells us that the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. But, we have to believe that He is fully present in the bread and wine.

How many believe he is truly with us, that we actually receive him in the Eucharist?

Brothers and sisters, sadly today, studies find that even some of us as Catholics, even some in the pews do not believe that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist.

In Luke’s Gospel elsewhere we heard Jesus say “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed”

So, how can we come to believe? May I suggest reading John Chapter 6. There you will read Jesus say “I am the bread of life” and “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you;”.

Jesus is over emphasizing for the disciples benefit AND for us to understand what he was saying. Really powerful words.

How can we help open the eyes of our friends and relatives, children, husband or wives—even our own? I have family that I pray that their eyes will be opened.

How many of you have family members that have left the faith? We can look to St. Monica who prayed for her son St. Augustine for 17 years, unceasingly until his conversion.

I must admit that it took 20 years or so for my eyes to be opened. I guess I was even a harder case than St. Augustine! My parents I am sure prayed constantly for that, so if it took that long for me, don’t lose hope for your loved ones.

The fact that you all are reading this suggests you have a strong faith life. Your witness and prayers will be powerful towards their conversion.

Perhaps one day we will be able to say “Their Eyes were opened”!

Come Let us come receive in the Eucharist-let our “eyes be opened”!