April 26, 2020; Homily for 3rd Sunday of Easter, Year A

Readings: Acts 2:14, 22-33; 1Peter 1:17-21; Lk. 24:13-35

Behold I Stand at the Door and Knock!

In today’s Gospel Jesus called two of his Disciples fools. Why? The two men on the road to Emmaus were obviously frustrated and disappointed. They were upset with Jesus for acting as a stranger in Jerusalem and for asking them a question. “What are you talking about to each other as you walk along?”  How could Jesus ask them such a question: “Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things that have been happening there these last few days?  “What things?” Christ asked them. Christ wants to know what is going on in our lives, He wants us to tell Him about our troubles, sadness, worries and our joys. He wants us to share our stories with Him. He wants us to tell him about coronavirus and how devastated it makes us feel. He tells us “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.” (Matt. 11:28-30). When we are confused, as the men on the road to Emmaus were, we must turn to Jesus. When in doubt, we must go to Him for comfort. When we are disappointed, Christ will console us. He understands us now more than ever before. Christ will always meet us on the way of our worries, fears and anxiety. He will engage us, ask questions, but most of all, He will listen attentively to us. We must listen to Him too.

“There at times when our sterile worries, futile pleasures, and vain preoccupations cloud our eyes so much that we are not able to recognize the Lord as we should. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus were thoroughly distracted, unfocused, frightened and downhearted, as their conversation reveals.” (New Horizon Homilies, Philip John, SSP and Premdas, SSP). Their answer to Jesus clearly showed their frustration. They closed their minds to the Scriptures. One could feel their incredulity and doubts as they recounted their litany of woes to the stranger. They told him: “We were hoping He would be the one to redeem Israel.” (Acts 2:21). We have been tempted many times to turn away from God, Christ and the church because our expectations were not met. Many times, we think that once we go to Church, say our prayers, pay tithes, obey the Church and keep the commandments, all our problems would be solved? How false are these assumptions! Many people have been so disappointed due to the sexual abuse of clergy that they swore never to go back to Church. Many stopped giving because they felt the Church has let them down. Others have turned away because they do not agree with the Church’s teaching on marriage, divorce, gay marriage, and the like. Many have refused to approach the Lord in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and out-rightly refused to go to confession. They can confess directly to God, they reason. Just like the men on the way to Emmaus once followed the Lord with hope and joy and truly believed he was sent by God to establish God’s kingdom, we often feel that way too. But often when the storms of life hit us hard, like Good Friday hit the Apostles, we are often disillusioned, and quickly return to our former ways of life. We don’t want anything more to do with the Church.

Mark Link, reported in his book Sunday Homilies Year A, a story that best illustrates the attitude of the two men on the road to Emmaus. Regina Riley tells a story that many parents can relate to. For years she prayed that her two sons would return to the faith. Then one Sunday morning in church she couldn’t believe her eyes. Her two sons came in and sat across the aisle from her. Her joy and gratitude overflowed. Afterward she asked her sons what prompted their return to the faith. The younger son told the story. One Sunday morning, while vacationing in Colorado, they were driving down a mountain road. It was raining cats and dogs. Suddenly they came upon an old man without an umbrella. He was soaked through and through, and, walked with a noticeable limp. Yet he kept trudging doggedly along the road. The brothers stopped and picked him up. It turned out that the stranger was on his way to Mass at a church, three miles down the road. Th brothers took him there. Since the rain was coming down so hard, and since they had nothing better to do, they decided to wait for the stranger to take him home after Mass. It wasn’t long before the two boys figured they might as well go inside, rather than wait out in the car. As the two brothers listened to the reading of the scriptures and sat through the breaking of the bread, something moved them deeply. The only way they could later explain it was: “You know, Mother, it felt so right. Like getting home after a long, tiring trip.”

Often in our frustration and despondency, we turn away from Jesus, but He never abandons us, He speaks to our hearts. “Was it not necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and then to enter his glory?” Jesus then explained what was said about himself in all the scriptures, beginning with Moses and the writings of all the prophets. Like the two brothers on Colorado road who met a stranger and returned to the faith, Jesus is the stranger who walks with us on our road of sadness and stress. He will open our minds to the Scriptures and our hearts will burn within us. He will lead us to the Eucharist and give us His body to eat and His blood to drink.

Whenever we turn away from the Church, Christ comes in search of us. He will never force himself on us but will wait to be invited in. And after explaining the Scriptures to the two men, He did as if He was going on further, waiting for them to invite Him in. Once He was invited in, He broke the bread with them. They rediscovered their Lord. He was never far away from them; they were too preoccupied to see Him. Let us pray that we may see Jesus who stands at the door of our hearts and knocks. May we hear
His voice and open the door, so that He may enter in and dine with us and we with Him. Amen.   

Augustine Etemma Inwang MSP