THE WORD BECAME FLESH

Wednesday in Octave of Easter, 2022

Acts 3:1-10

Ps 105

Luke 24:13-35

Our Companion on the Way

Through his resurrection, Jesus had transformed, from earthly to risen life, and his presence to his disciples as risen Lord had a transforming effect on them. We can see that from this morning’s gospel reading (Lk 24:13-35). The two disciples were burdened by sadness and a loss of hope. It is said of them that their faces were downcast and in talking to the stranger they said, ‘We had hoped’. Now they hoped no longer. They were walking away from Jerusalem, the city of death, as they had come to experience it, away from the other disciples. In reality, Jerusalem was the city where life had triumphed over death and they should have remained there with the other disciples until the Holy Spirit came upon them. 

The risen Lord journeyed with them, even though they were heading in the wrong direction. His presence to them transformed their sorrow into joy and their despair into hope and, as a result, they turned around and journeyed back to Jerusalem, back to the gathering of the disciples. There they shared their Easter story and heard the Easter story of the others. We too can sometimes find ourselves going in the wrong direction, away from the community of believers, burdened by a sense of sadness and hopelessness. In such times, the risen Lord is journeying with us as he journeyed with the two disciples. He is present to us as our companion on the way, inviting us to share our story with him, speaking his word to us, just as he opened the Scriptures for his two disciples, revealing himself to us as the bread of life. 

If we open ourselves to the Lord’s presence to us in these ways, we will be transformed as the two disciples were. Our sadness will turn to joy, our despair to hope, and we will begin to face again in the right direction. We will return to the gathering of the disciples, the community of believers, and the church. 

Let us pray: Lord Jesus Christ, open the eyes of my heart to recognize your presence with me and to understand the truth of your saving word. Amen

+Remain blessed