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Biblical reflections
Fr. Simone Piccolo, SX
Fr. Simone Piccolo, SX

The Perspective of the Resurrection

Listening to the Spirit

Remain with us, Lord Jesus,
you who were the guest at Emmaus;
throughout the watches of the night,
resurrected, you lead us.

Taking bread, you broke it,
then our eyes recognized you,
the flickering flame in our heart
foretells our true happiness.

The time is short, our days are fleeting.
But you prepare your house,
you give a meaning to our desires,
a future to our labors.

You the first of the pilgrims,
the star of the last morning,
awake in us by your love
a great hope in your return.

Listening to the Word

Lk 24:13–35

That very day of the first day of the week, two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” They stopped, looking downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?” And he replied to them, “What sort of things?” They said to him, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazorean, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures. As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” 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. Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the Eleven and those with them who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of bread.

Reflection

There was a woman who was living a challenging situation. She took her cellphone looking for a friend to talk with. She wanted to free herself from the burden. Scrolling her rubric, she saw the name of a good friend. She was also going through a not-easy time, but in her mind, she said: “She will understand me better than others.” They talked about their difficulties understanding each other. But it seemed to them that there was no WAY OUT.

It happened that the following day, both attended the BIBLE SHARING of the parish. The Word of God touched their lives and they experienced that the Word of the Gospel was able to bring a change in their life, changing their perspective and their feelings. They did the same experience as the disciples of Emmaus. They were touched by the Word of God too when it was explained to them by Jesus.

During the days of the Holy Week and during this Easter Time, was I touched by a Word of God that was meaningful for my situation and was able to bring a change in my daily life? Hopefully, we can take some minutes to reflect on it.

Let us be confident that Jesus is walking with us. He knows us, our situation, and our being slow, but it is not a problem to Him. He wants to share our journey. He wants us to listen to His saving Word. Because there is a new way of looking at our reality, our weaknesses, diseases, and difficulties: from the point of view of the Resurrection. Let us try to have this new perspective.

“He took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them.” He broke the bread and they recognized Him. We go to mass every Sunday because we desire to recall to mind His great wish to love each one of us and His willingness to give us life.

Is it enough? No…they went back to Jerusalem. For us, “to go back to Jerusalem” means to go out of the Church after the mass ready to look at reality with different eyes and willing to share with the people the goodness of the Lord, his love for all, telling them that they are loved by the one who is ALIVE.


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