DOCTRINE AND FAITH.....3rd Sunday of Easter

(Acts 2, 14.22-33; 1 Peter 1, 17-21; Luke 24, 13-35: 3rd Sunday of Easter)

          Today’s episode of Jesus’ apparition to the two disciples of Emmaus is a great help to his disciples of all times, in discovering the presence of the risen Lord. These two disciples on their way to Emmaus were disillusioned and unhappy. They were ruminating on the stories about Jesus who was crucified, died, buried and the new talk about his resurrection that was being propagated by some women who claimed to have gotten the information from an angel. Some of Jesus disciples were mentioned to have gone to the tomb to verify the information and found the tomb empty; Jesus was not there.  From the tone of their narration, these two disciples were not convinced that Jesus rose from the dead; they were taken aback and were going away from Jerusalem, the scene of all these events. They, however, confided in thestranger, who joined them on the way, that they had hoped that it was Jesus who would have been able to liberate Israel. But as it seemed then, that hope was completely gone. At this point the stranger opened up and chided them for their lack of perception in the prophecies regarding the Messiah, who had to first of all suffer before entering into his glory. This stranger had to explain to them every reference made in the Scriptures about the Messiah. As he was doing this, the hearts of these two disciples were aglow but they were not yet able to recognize him, as Jesus himself. They were only able to recognize him, when at table he performed the Eucharistic gesture: he took the bread, said the blessings, broke it and handed them to them. At this point, Jesus disappeared from their sight. Without any delay, they returned to Jerusalem, intending to narrate their encounter with the risen Lord. There, the community of the apostles attested: indeed, the Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon. 

          This narrative of Luke is a wonderful catechesis for the first Christian communities and Christians of all ages. It seems to answer some questions which the first Christian community and probably we present day Christians ask: Where is the risen Christ? Where is he operative? Is he really the Living One? The evangelist, Luke responds this way: The risen Christ and all the mysteries about him reside in the Sacred Scriptures. It is there that we can encounter and recognize him. St. Jerome noted long ago: Ignorance of the Scriptures means ignorance of Christ. Again, the risen Christ is in the Eucharistic celebration, in the Christian community that is united in the rite of breaking of bread. The risen Christ is in the midst of the Christian community that professes their faith around, and with the Apostle Peter. The risen Christ is within the community that operates in his name for the sanctification of its members through the sacraments and for the cure of the bodily ailments of its members. A typical example is the cure of the lame man from birth by Peter and John through the invocation of the name of Jesus. (Acts 3,6). 

          If we really want to encounter the risen Christ, feel his comfortable and vivifying presence in our lives, we have no choice but to follow the catechesis of the Evangelist Luke which is articulated in the following four points. 

• (i) Read, meditate assiduously, assimilate the Sacred Scriptures, and allow yourselves to be illumined by it. The entire Scriptures speak of Christ and the design of God’s salvation for mankind. 
• (ii)  Participate actively in the breaking of bread with the Christian community that celebrates the Eucharist and that prays in unity, and in compliance with the datum of Christ: where two or three of you are gathered in my name I am in their midst.
•  (iii) Stand with the successor of Peter (the Pope) who has the competence toconfirm the brothers in the faith and to pasture the lambs and sheep of the Church. 
• (iv) Live immersed in the Christian Community that practices love and charity through corporal and spiritual works of mercy. This is the itinerary which Luke indicates to us in order to meet with the risen Christ, feel his presence in us, as he accompanies, illumines, strengthens our determination and comforts us. The natural eyes of our bodies are not capable of seeing him as long as we are in this world, just as the two disciples of Emmaus could not recognize Jesus in the mysterious stranger who walked along with them on the road to Emmaus. We see the risen Christ and recognize him well through the eyes of the mind, heart and faith.   May we pray in today’s Eucharistic celebration to always have the grace to recognize and encounter Jesus in the Scriptures, Eucharistic celebrations, amidst the community of believers as well as in the poor, the sick, the marginalized and whosoever claims our love and charity? Amen! 

+John I. Okoye