Frederick, Maryland,
United States - Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Wednesday, 23 April
2014 - Catholic Meditations
Meditations: Luke 24:
13 Behold, two of them were going that
very day to a village named Emmaus, which was sixty stadia[a] from Jerusalem.
14 They talked with each other about all of these things which had happened. 15
While they talked and questioned together, Jesus himself came near, and went
with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 He said to
them, “What are you talking about as you walk, and are sad?”
18 One of them, named
Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who doesn’t know
the things which have happened there in these days?”
19 He said to them,
“What things?”
They said to him, “The
things concerning Jesus, the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and
word before God and all the people; 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers
delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we were
hoping that it was he who would redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is
now the third day since these things happened. 22 Also, certain women of our
company amazed us, having arrived early at the tomb; 23 and when they didn’t
find his body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, who
said that he was alive. 24 Some of us went to the tomb, and found it just like
the women had said, but they didn’t see him.”
25 He said to them,
“Foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have
spoken! 26 Didn’t the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his
glory?” 27 Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them
in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 They came near to the
village, where they were going, and he acted like he would go further.
29 They urged him,
saying, “Stay with us, for it is almost evening, and the day is almost over.”
He went in to stay with
them. 30 When he had sat down at the table with them, he took the bread and
gave thanks. Breaking it, he gave to them. 31 Their eyes were opened, and they
recognized him, and he vanished out of their sight. 32 They said to one
another, “Weren’t our hearts burning within us, while he spoke to us along the
way, and while he opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 They rose up that very hour,
returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and those who
were with them, 34 saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to
Simon!” 35 They related the things that happened along the way, and how he was
recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.
Footnotes:
a. Luke 24:13 60 stadia
= about 11 kilometers or about 7 miles.
Wednesday within the
Octave of Easter
Their eyes were
prevented from recognizing him. (Luke 24:16)
Let’s not be too hard on
poor Cleopas and his companion. It had been a devastating several days. As
disciples of Jesus, they had invested so much time, energy, and emotion into
him and his teaching. But then, the anticipation and excitement they felt a
week earlier, when Jesus had entered triumphantly into Jerusalem, was abruptly
cut short by his gruesome death. It’s no wonder that their thoughts were troubled
and that they could see nothing but a bleak future! And so they left the other
disciples back in Jerusalem and set out for Emmaus. After all, they were only
human!
But that’s just the
point. They couldn’t recognize Jesus when he joined them on the road because
their faith, which had suffered a troubling blow, needed to be supplemented
with divine revelation. That’s exactly what Jesus inserted into their animated
conversation. He explained the Scriptures to them from his heavenly
perspective. His words stirred something deep in their hearts, and they began
to feel a sense of hope again. Then it all came together when Jesus blessed and
broke the bread: the word of God, the power of revelation, and hearts newly set
on fire. Finally, they saw Jesus!
Isn’t this the story of
our lives as well? So often, we think about our circumstances, our families, or
the world around us—as any normal human being would. Sometimes that leaves us
discouraged or believing that Jesus isn’t close to us. But nothing could be
further from the truth! Jesus is never absent; he’s walking with you! He longs
to stir your heart through his word and through his presence. He longs to tell
you that he has a plan for your life and that you can rely on him.
The disciples in today’s
Gospel reading had to slow down to listen to Jesus; they had to stop their
discussions to hear him. What a great model for us! Slow down and listen today.
Stop and let Jesus touch your heart with divine insight. Sit down, pull out
your Bible, and ask him to open the Scriptures to you. Gaze on him at Mass. You
will see that he was there all along: he’s there in God’s word; he’s there in
the bread and wine; he’s in your heart!
“Thank you, Jesus, for
walking with me. Help me slow down and sense your presence. Lord, I want to see
you!” Amen.
Acts 3:1 Peter and John
were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.[a] 2 A
certain man who was lame from his mother’s womb was being carried, whom they
laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask gifts
for the needy of those who entered into the temple. 3 Seeing Peter and John
about to go into the temple, he asked to receive gifts for the needy. 4 Peter,
fastening his eyes on him, with John, said, “Look at us.” 5 He listened to
them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “Silver and
gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ
of Nazareth, get up and walk!” 7 He took him by the right hand, and raised him
up. Immediately his feet and his ankle bones received strength. 8 Leaping up,
he stood, and began to walk. He entered with them into the temple, walking,
leaping, and praising God. 9 All the people saw him walking and praising God.
10 They recognized him, that it was he who used to sit begging for gifts for
the needy at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. They were filled with wonder and
amazement at what had happened to him.
Footnotes:
a. Acts 3:1 3:00 PM
Psalm 105:1Give thanks
to Yahweh! Call on his name!
Make his doings known among the peoples.
2 Sing to him, sing
praises to him!
Tell of all his marvelous works.
3 Glory in his holy
name.
Let the heart of those who seek Yahweh
rejoice.
4 Seek Yahweh and his
strength.
Seek his face forever more.
6 you offspring[a] of
Abraham, his servant,
you children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
7 He is Yahweh, our God.
His judgments are in all the earth.
8 He has remembered his
covenant forever,
the word which he commanded to a thousand
generations,
9 the covenant which he
made with Abraham,
his oath to Isaac,
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 105:6 or, seed
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