The Road…

One of my favorite stories in The Bible is one that starts out for two of Jesus’ disciples as a journey shrouded in mystery. It’s the story of Jesus’ appearance on the Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). One of the reasons that I love this story so much is that I think it is a story that I, along with many Catholics, can relate to. Here’s what I mean…

If you’re not familiar with the story, it starts out on the day of Jesus’ Resurrection with two of Jesus’ disciples walking along the road to a village called Emmaus located 7 miles outside of Jerusalem. They were talking about things that had happened to Jesus, how He had recently died and so forth… A man started walking with them (it was Jesus but he did not reveal himself to them). When he asked, the disciples told him about what had occurred to Jesus and about how the women, that same day, had said that they couldn’t find his body in his tomb. They told him how they had also gone to the tomb and found it just the way the women had described.

It is at that moment that the stranger scolds the disciples and proceeds to interpret for them all the scriptures in The Torah, or what we refer to as the Old Testament, pertaining to Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. As they approached the village they asked the man (Jesus) to stay with them and so he did. What happened next is absolutely stunning… At table, the stranger took bread, said the blessing, broke it and gave it to them (sound familiar??). At that moment the disciples’ eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus!

Right after that the disciples talked about how their hearts burned within them while Jesus spoke to them and opened the scriptures to them during their journey. At that moment they returned to Jerusalem and found the gathered 11 disciples (Judas was gone) and proclaimed that Jesus had truly been raised and they told everyone how He had made himself known in the breaking of the bread!

“Thou movest us to delight in praising Thee; for Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee.”  – St. Augustine

There are several aspects of my journey that I can relate to this story… First off, I can relate how I listened to Jesus’ words from scripture when I realized that at the Baptist church I attended, the pastor was misquoting scripture regarding “The Lord’s Supper” and it was that day that I heard Jesus’ voice calling to my soul saying “Who do you say that I am?”. I spent years studying and listening to Jesus’ word in scripture and my heart burned with a desire in all aspects of my life to determine the truth. To me this part of my journey coincides with the disciples’ walk with Jesus and, though not knowing Him yet, they listened to His every word just as I tried to in my studies of sacred scripture…

After I heard Jesus’ words and found the truth, which I wished to remain within my heart, I finally found and recognized my Lord and Savior in the breaking of the bread a.k.a The Holy Eucharist at my first Mass after spending several years away from The Catholic Church. I’ll never forget that moment as it was one of utter joy and amazement. As I stared at The Host and Chalice being held high above the alter by the priest as he said: “Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.” My only thought at that moment was… “My Lord and My God! It’s REALLY YOU!!”

Ever since that moment, just as the two disciples experienced their desire to share their good news with the apostles thousands of years ago, all I have wanted to do is run out and proclaim the truth of Jesus and how I recognized Him in the breaking of the bread…

Shouldn’t the truth of God’s words in The Liturgy of the Word affect all of us this way? My brothers and sisters, Jesus reveals His saving truth to us everyday in The Mass. He reveals His words to us through The Liturgy of The Word and the words of the Homily given by the priest or deacon. His words, if we really listen to them, should set our hearts on fire and give us a burning desire for truth and courage to follow God’s words and Jesus’ example in our daily lives. Once The Liturgy of The Eucharist starts, it is Jesus Himself who comes to stay with us and He reveals Himself to us at EVERY MASS in The Holy Eucharist!!! Can we say AMEN?!?!?! I mean… WOW!!!

“…So he went in to stay with them. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight.” – Luke 24: 29-31

It is after receiving Christ Himself, His Flesh, His Soul and His Divinity through “the breaking of the bread” that we should get back on our own “road to Emmaus” and proclaim the saving truth of Jesus Christ to EVERYONE! We have such an incredible privilege and gift! We CANNOT afford to contain it or squander it! It MUST BE SHARED with EVERYONE!!! We must tell EVERYONE how we come to know Jesus in the breaking of the bread, just as Jesus’ disciples did…

To all of my Protestant brothers and sisters who are reading this as well as those who do not attend a Christian church of any kind… If you ever want to experience how Jesus Christ reveals Himself in The Mass, send me a message through the “Contact Me” page of my site and you’re more than welcome to come with me to experience the holy sacrifice of The Mass for yourself and see how Jesus reveals Himself to His Church through His words and the Most Holy Eucharist.

To all of my Catholic brothers and sisters, the next time you’re attending Mass, I urge you to remember this story of The Road to Emmaus and see how it applies to your own journey through The Mass and beyond the doors of The Church to the outside world.

To God Be The Glory Forever and Ever!

Your Humble Servant in Christ,

William