First Reading
Acts of the Apostles 2:14, 22-33
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed: “You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem. Let this be known to you, and listen to my words. You who are Israelites, hear these words. Jesus the Nazarene was a man commended to you by God with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs, which God worked through him in your midst, as you yourselves know. This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God, you killed, using lawless men to crucify him. But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death, because it was impossible for him to be held by it. For David says of him: ‘I saw the Lord ever before me, with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. Therefore my heart has been glad and my tongue has exulted; my flesh, too, will dwell in hope, because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld, nor will you suffer your holy one to see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’ “My brothers, one can confidently say to you about the patriarch David that he died and was buried, and his tomb is in our midst to this day. But since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne, he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he abandoned to the netherworld nor did his flesh see corruption. God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses. Exalted at the right hand of God, he received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father and poured him forth, as you see and hear.”
Second Reading
1 Peter 1:17-21
Beloved: If you invoke as Father him who judges impartially according to each one’s works, conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning, realizing that you were ransomed from your futile conduct, handed on by your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb. He was known before the foundation of the world but revealed in the final time for you, who through him believe in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
Gospel Cycle Cycle A
Luke 24:13-35
That very day, 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 Nazarene, 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.
Today we have the Gospel which speaks about the disciples going to Emmaus. This Gospel speaks so much to our everyday experience of Jesus Christ. These disciples knew that Jesus had been crucified. They also knew the rumors that somehow He was alive. They were confused about what they believed or did not believe, but their hearts were clearly still hoping that He was the One to redeem Israel. Probably they still had in mind a Redeemer who would free them from the yoke of Roman domination. They did not yet clearly understand what kind of redemption the Redeemer was bringing. It is incredible that Jesus begins with Moses and the Prophets and explains
In this encounter, they do not immediately recognize that it is the Redeemer speaking to them. Clearly they begin to understand that this stranger explains the Scriptures in a way that shows how Jesus fulfilled them. The passage is really strong! It says that Jesus explained to them, beginning with Moses and all of the Prophets, every passage in all of the Scriptures that referred to Himself. Clearly this was a long walk! Nevertheless, it was a walk that opened their understanding so that when Jesus breaks bread later, they recognize Him as the Lord.
What about us? Do we understand every passage in the Scriptures that refers to Jesus? Do we really understand Jesus as the fulfillment of a historical tradition of prophets talking about the coming of a Redeemer? Lots of people in Jesus time did not feel or sense any need of a Redeemer and were not looking for One. Yet there was a whole Jewish tradition of a Redeemer who was to come.
What about us? Do we need a Redeemer? Does our world need a Redeemer? Jesus was clear during the time before His death and Resurrection that He did not come for the righteous but for sinners, those who needed a Redeemer.
The Acts of the Apostles in today’s first reading points out that Jesus fulfills the Scriptures but that the majority of those who believed in the Scriptures at that time did not accept Him as the Redeemer. Today lots of people have great admiration for the Christian Scriptures, but only as one holy book among many holy books of many religions. Our belief is that the Jewish and Christian Scriptures are privileged writing reflecting the Word of God in a way not found anywhere else.
The First Letter of Peter tells us today that we are redeemed from our futile conduct only with the precious blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb. There is no other Redemption. Jesus is not just another good man, in another religious tradition, passing on good holy writings. Jesus is the unique Son of God who has chosen to die for us so that we may live. Jesus Himself is raised from the dead as the first to be raised but also as a witness to God’s love for all of us.
Let us continue this walk to Emmaus and meet the Lord on the way. Each day we are walking. Each day the Lord speaks to us. Do we recognize Him?