Reconciliation for Mon 27 April to Friday 1 May - 11.15am - 12.20pm. Please note that strict social distancing rules will be applied. Confession will take place in the Cloister area.
Dear Friends
The first three Sundays of Easter present to us various scripture passages that deal not only with the appearance of the Risen Lord among his disciples but also of the gradual transformation that begins in their lives – a movement from fear, terror and despair to full faith in the Resurrection. On Easter Sunday morning we heard from the Gospel of John [20:1-9] how Mary of Magdala encountered the empty tomb and went to tell the disciples that she believed someone had taken Jesus’ body. This led her, Simon and the Beloved Disciple to come to the tomb and see the linen cloths. The Beloved Disciple went into the tomb and believed. They returned to the Upper Room while Mary remained at the tomb weeping. In her grief she sees an angel and then Jesus, whom she mistakes as the gardener. Only when Jesus calls her by name does she recognise him. Jesus immediately entrusts her with the mission of preparing his disciples for his appearance. This scene is picked up with the Gospel of the Second Sunday of Easter [John 20:19-31], where we hear of Jesus entering the room where the disciples are hiding for fear of the Jews. Jesus offers them the gift of peace, shows them his side and hands, breathes in them his Spirit and then commissions them to be the ministers of forgiveness and mercy in the world.
On this third Sunday of Easter we have yet another account of the appearance of the Risen Jesus to his disciples, this time from Luke [24:1335]. This account is markedly different from the previous ones. The accounts from John have as their main characters Simon Peter, the Beloved Disciple, Thomas and Mary of Magdala. In Luke we have two very ordinary followers of Jesus: Cleopas and an unnamed disciple [Vv 13.18]. Luke presents to us a very personal description of these two disciples. They are discussing the events that had just happened in Jerusalem as they journey from that city to their home town of Emmaus; they fail to recognise Jesus and their faces are downcast [v. 14-17]. These two are just ordinary followers of Jesus. They are not people in authority or with special responsibilities within the community. They had placed their hopes in the person of Jesus, as the one who was to set them free from all their ‘captivities’: political, moral, civil and economic. And now they are returning home disillusioned, holding only the memory of the humiliated and crucified Jesus. So great is their despair that they do not even recognise Jesus who walks alongside them.
Consider now the actions of Jesus. He does not strongly rebuke them for their lack of faith in His promises. He simply allows them to continue with their story. Only then does he weave the elements of His story – the Scriptures – into their experiences. The burning sensation within their hearts allows them to eventually recognise him in the breaking of the bread. Here significantly, as the travellers offer hospitality to Jesus, it is Jesus' turn to act as host to them in the breaking of bread. Jesus encourages and challenges them to understand that he is available and present to them in the Scriptures and in the ‘Breaking of Bread’ – the Eucharist. How valuable is this to us today as we experience the hunger of our own people who are, because of the social restrictions, unable to physically participate in the celebration of the Eucharist. The Word of God and the Eucharist are indeed gifts which we should not take for granted.
The story of the road to Emmaus becomes, then, more than just a story of the appearance of the Risen Jesus. It is a paradigm for the Church and for our ministry. Countless times when we encounter people disillusioned with aspects of the faith or life in general, it is advantageous to allow them to recount their experiences, rather than have them receive a lecture. This is what spiritual companionship and direction is all about. In our ministry it is central for us to recognise the dual role of Scripture and the Sacraments. Armed with these two fundamental elements of our ministry and Church life, we walk alongside other disillusioned and hurt pilgrims, offering them the hope found in the Risen Christ. As we hear again the story of the Emmaus road, we can ask ourselves if our hearts burn within us when we read the Scriptures? Do they speak to us, challenge and encourage us? Do we approach the Eucharist in faith and fidelity, knowing that we are being fed by the very Body and Blood of the Risen Lord? The story of Emmaus is our story, lived in the midst of doubt, uncertainty, despair but also joy and faith in the Risen Jesus. May we continually turn to his Words and his Sacraments, most especially when we experience difficulties in life.
Fr Robert Bossini
Dean & Parish Priest
