Connecting with Jesus

                                                                       Third Sunday of Eater

May 8, 2011

Life is a mystery; the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is also a mystery. Today, the gospel tells us, that the disciples had difficulties in accepting the Resurrection ,which was reported by others. On their way to Emmaus, doubting and escaping, they did not realize Jesus was walking with them. They only recognized him when Jesus broke the bread---this is a typical “Jesus action”. For us, more than two thousand yeas later, we may still have difficulties in accepting the reality. But through faith, today’s gospel offers us three ways of meeting our Risen Lord in our lives.

1. Horizon and Connection.

The first way of connecting with the Risen Lord is to open our horizons to the history of salvation. We as human beings have our limitations in that we normally just pay attention to a certain situations or events. When we are in our dark side of life, we can see no hope. Today’s two disciples were in their dark side of life, even though they heard the news of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, yet, they still could not accept it. Jesus opened their horizons and helped them to connect with the whole history of salvation. “Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, Jesus explained to them how he was referred to in all the scriptures”. The difference between Catholic Christians and others are the different interpretations of our lives and our worlds.

As Catholics, first of all, we enter into a Christian community which has a long history. The beginning of this history is God's creation. All the history (His-Story) of light helps us to see the presence of God in our lives. So, anytime, when you have a difficulty with your faith or life, do not choose to escape, but go back to the Christian community, go back to the Christian history, go back to all the saints, from the newest saint-to be, our Blessed John Paul II, to Blessed John 23… to our Heavenly Mother Mary. With them, we enter into the horizon of Saints, and they will enlighten us and help us to understand the connection of our life with the Risen Lord Jesus Christ.

2. Hospitality

Hospitality is another way to meet the Risen Lord in our lives. The two disciples urged this stranger, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over”. They did not know this stranger was the Lord, but their hospitality helped them to meet Jesus. Here, they truly experienced what Jesus said: “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me”.

Hospitality is an action which flows from a loving heart. This action treats strangers as one’s brothers and sisters. Mother Teresa, when she saw the dying person who was abandoned, said she saw the face of Jesus Christ. Hospitality helps us to meet the Risen Jesus in our daily life.

Today, we also celebrate Mother’s Day. Every mother has a hospitable heart. All the mothers’ hearts, especially our Christian mothers' hearts deeply connect with the Mother of Jesus Christ, Mary. She opens her entire life to welcome the incarnated God. Mary also welcomes the whole world to her home, which is our holy Church.

Hospitality is not as easy as what we think. The first papal Nuncio to China, Cardinal Constandini in his autobiography told the story about when he was studying in Rome as a poor student. One evening, he can not find a place to stay. He went to a center of a certain religious order and asked for help.They told him, “sorry, we do not have a place for you, but we will say a ‘Hail Mary’ for you”. After he was made Cardinal, the superior of this Order came and asked him to say Mass in their center. When he arrived there, he smiled in his heart. Mostly, we tend to serve a rich man or some people who are in high positions, but ignore the ones who are really needed our help. These people are Jesus Christ who comes toward us with different faces.

3. Eucharist

Last but never the least, the Eucharist is a significant way of meeting our Risen Lord today and always. At dinner with the disciples, “Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him”. This is a typical action of Jesus Christ; this is also the fundamental part of the Holy Eucharist. After they met Jesus that night, they “set out at once and return to Jerusalem” to report this good news. There, they also heard the same good news: “the Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon”.

Being Catholic, we have the privilege of experiencing the presence of Jesus Christ in this Holy Eucharist. We listen to the Good News of Jesus Christ from his disciples at the very time of Paschal event. We meet Jesus Christ  when we receive Holy Communion, just as Mary Magdalene and all the disciples did. We also receive the invitation from Jesus Christ in our holy Church to preach the same Good News to the people in our family, in our community and  in the whole world. When we come to Church to celebrate Mass, the Risen Lord is right here with us. Thus, "I am in you, you are in me."

Let us cherish our connection with the whole history of salvation, welcome every stranger in the spirit of the Eucharist. This is a new horizon of Christian life; this is also the blessing of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.