COLLECT: “MAY YOUR PEOPLE EXULT FOR EVER, O GOD, IN RENEWED YOUTHFULNESS OF SPIRIT, SO THAT, REJOICING NOW IN THE RESTORED GLORY OF OUR ADOPTION, WE MAY LOOK FORWARD IN CONFIDENT HOPE SO THE REJOICING OF THE DAY OF RESURRECTION. THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU IN THE UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”.
Acts 2:14, 22-28; 1Pt 1:17-21; Lk24:13-35
“LOOK FOR THE PRESENCE OF JESUS IN YOUR MIDST AND HE WILL FILL YOU WITH JOY”.
(Do we all experience the presence of Christ in us when we come to church or when we receive Holy Communion?)
The resurrection is history’s greatest event with its tremendous significance – the basis for our faith, hope and courage that there is life after this earthly one, which Jesus our Saviour has won for us. However, one can miss the significance of this great event due to disappointments and problems that one goes through (or is going) through. The two disciples returning from Jerusalem to Emmaus missed this significance because of their disappointments caused by sadness and confusion as they did not understand the true identity of Jesus.
The two disciples failed to acknowledge the presence of Jesus with them because of what was in their minds, the scandal of the cross, the terrible pain and agonising death that Jesus had to go through. These two disciples had hopes in Jesus as the Messiah, but were so disturbed when they saw Jesus hanging on the cross. Even when Jesus met them and explained the scriptures to them as they walked, they still did not know that it was Jesus walking with them. It was only when he broke the bread that they realised he was the one, but he vanished from their midst. Yes, Jesus will always vanish from our side or midst if we allow our life’s challenges and problems to overwhelm us to the extent that we no longer see Jesus in our midst.
Here on earth, life is a journey. We are in transit and we are “strangers and foreigners on the earth” (Heb 11:13; 1 Pt 1:17). It is a sojourning which certainly will not be all smooth for us. There will be rough, confused and sad times and moments that can certainly make us disappointed. There are and will be times and moments we are downcast, disappointed and discouraged. Our hopes sometimes are shattered and our life seems a disappointment all because of some past bitter experience(s), sorrows, difficulties, problems and challenges of life.
Disappointments, bitter experiences and the like mentioned above, very often block our vision from seeing Jesus Christ present with us. Even in church where the Word of God is being broken for us through the preaching/homily and Bread (The Eucharist) being broken and shared amongst us, we sometimes still do not feel and see the presence of Jesus with us because of what we are going through in life. When this happens, then we are physically present in Church but psychologically or spiritually absent from Church.
It should be noted here that when we allow our disappointments to control and direct us away from the presence of the Lord, we walk in the wrong direction and think and do things the wrong way. This was what the two disciples on their way to Emmaus did. Never, because of disappointments be swayed or cut yourself off from the fellowship with: fellow believers in your Church, fellow workers, marriage partner, family members, and fellowship with members of your society/association or political party. Otherwise, you are likely to miss a lot especially the strength that you can draw from the members. Please, take a cue from the saying that “Nowhere cool”.
Our faith should let us know that during such moments of disappointment, we are not left out there alone. During such moments the Risen Christ is closer to us. All we have to do is open the eyes of faith to experience his wonderful presence, touch, consolation and healing in our lives.
Just as the two disciples recognised Jesus at the breaking of the bread, at the Eucharist we should feel the presence of Christ amongst us, and with his presence, our lives should be changed and transformed, making our pain and sorrows, challenges, difficulties, disappointments and bitterness bearable for us because He is with us. When we are filled with the Lord’s presence and our disappointments are eventually taken away, we in turn have to proclaim him as the Saviour and Lord of the Resurrection to the whole world as Peter did in his speech after Pentecost (Acts 2:14-36). The two disciples did the same when they returned to Jerusalem where they recounted what happened to the eleven and those who were with them (Lk 24:33-35).
Pray and meditate on the story of “FOOT PRINTS”:
This is about a man who, taking a flashback of his life, saw his whole life as if he were walking along a seashore. He realised that in his life, those moments when things were easy and life was comfortable, he looked back on the sand at the shore and saw two pairs of footprints. He interpreted the two pairs of footprints to be his and God’s. He also realised that in his life, those moments that he faced challenges, sorrows, bitterness, loneliness and disappointments, he looked back and saw only one pair of footprints.
Again, he interpreted this to be only his footprints. At this moment he started complaining to God, that God had not been fair and kind to him, that when everything was rosy and comfortable in his life, God was always there as a companion but when he was in difficult moments God abandoned him. God broke his silence and told the man that in those moments in his life, he saw two pairs of footprints he, the man, did not need any help. All he (God) could do for him was to accompany him or sometimes lead him. But when he faced disappointments and difficulties in life, he (God) carried him on his shoulders and the one pair of footprints was not his (the man’s) but God’s.
My dear friend, reflect deeply on this story.
God bless you.
WE MEDITATE TODAY, SUNDAY, ON THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES: ‘THE RESURRECTION, THE ASCENSION, THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE ASSUMPTION, AND THE CORONATION’. (WE PRAY FOR FAITH, HOPE, LOVE OF GOD, GRACE OF A HAPPY DEATH AND TRUST IN MARY’S INTERCESSION) “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen”.
PRAYER: “LOOK WITH KINDNESS UPON YOUR PEOPLE, O LORD, AND GRANT WE PRAY, THAT THOSE YOU WERE PLEASED TO RENEW BY ETERNAL MYSTERIES MAY ATTAIN IN THEIR FLESH THE INCORRUPTIBLE GLORY OF THE RESURRECTION. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN”.
Rev. Fr. Aloysius Kpiebaya, Catholic Diocese of Wa, UW/R, Ghana. (00233) 0207867239/0545462863. Email: aloybaya20@yahoo.com
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