Homily: Third Sunday of Easter Year A
Recognizing Christ, Who Walks with Us- In this Time of
Pandemic
Fr. Udoekpo, Michael Ufok
v Acts
2:14, 22-33
v Ps
16:1-2, 5, 7-11
v
1 Pet 1:17-21
v Luke
24:13-35
The
Emmaus story of today’s Gospel is a delight of preachers and commentators. It
speaks to people of all ages including our own, this pandemic generation. On
this Third Sunday of Easter, we are called to celebrate and recognize Christ, who
walks with us on our journeys. He shows us the path of life (Ps 16:11a). Through
the lenses of the readings just heard, we are invited to imitate Christ’s disciples:
Peter, Cleopas and his companion, the eleven disciples, and the women who not only
stood at the foot of the divine cross but were the first to witness the empty tomb
and to recognize the truth and redeeming effects of the resurrection of Christ.
In this time of Pandemic when, how and where do we recognize Christ’s redeeming
power in our lives? Do we recognize it in our moms, colleagues, students, fellow
staff member, children, and dads? In the poor and needy? In our neighbors, in
our health care workers, civil and ecclesiastical leaders, in the songs we sing
during worship, in the Eucharist we share, and in the sermons we listen to? In our
offices, places of work, classrooms, and libraries? I believe there are so many
opportunities for us, out there, to encounter Christ, like Christ’s disciples
just mentioned.
In
the first two readings we see Peter, the foremost disciple of Christ is at work.
In the first reading (Acts 2:14, 22-33) we see him delivering a Pentecost speech,
and in the second reading (1 Pet 1:17-21) we see him preaching the redeeming blood
of Jesus. Initially, Peter had his own doubts; he had his ups and downs and human
path to walk. Remember, Peter experienced failure: He violently cut off
Malchus’ ear, and then proceeded to deny his master three times. But today he has
chosen a different path: the path of life.
In
this path of life, Scripture presents Peter as courageously and convincingly proclaiming
faith in the truth of the risen Lord. He is not worried about his former
failures. The Petrine passages we read today are not ordinary rhetoric; they
are an enduring testimony to Christ’s love for us, the miracles he worked, and the
healing compassion he brought us. He can do the same thing for us today in this
time of corona virus. What Peter does in today’s readings is recognizing the power
of God and the truth that sufferings, persecution, or the tomb was never, from day
one, going to be Christ’s final destination. It was never going to be possible for
Christ to be held by death. Peter’s life is an example of how God can change us
and move things around in our lives, even in the face of sufferings and threat
of this pandemic.
Isn't it challenging for us that the denying Peter
of the Passion Week has become a courageous disciple who uses every opportunity
to bear witness to Christ. The question we
may ask ourselves: Do we explore every opportunity in our lives to bear witness
to Christ or to recognize his enduring presence at our side? Or to be more personally,
am I ready to change my path, which could be human over anxiousness, fear of
the unknown, and follow the path of Christ- divine providence, and total self- surrendering
to God’s will?
In
today’s Gospel reading (Luke 24:13-35), the conversation between Cleopas and his
companion on the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus illustrates Christ’s disciples’ struggle
with the Jewish community and the fear, sadness, and doubt they faced regarding
Jesus’ messianic and redeeming presence following his death on the cross. We all
have our own conversations, fears, and doubts in moments of crisis. This moment
of pandemic is a good example.
Notably,
in the Gospel Cleopas was walking back to Emmaus with a companion. Who was this
other disciple that Cleopas traveled with? The name is not mentioned in Luke, but
many theologians and spiritual authors thought she was "Mary the wife of Cleopas"
mentioned in John 19:25. But, for me this once again rings the bell that we are
in this faith journeys together, men and women.
We
are called to strive to recognize Jesus in one another. Jesus was there for a long
walk alongside Cleopas and his fellow traveler. However, they failed to recognize
him until the sharing of the word of God and the breaking of the bread. These
represent two key things we do when we gather, physically and virtually to worship:
We celebrate the word of God, and we break bread—the holy Eucharist. The Scripture
that Christ explains, from Moses to the Prophets, transforms Cleopas and his
companion’s mindset and spiritual path. It changes their uncertainty to certainty.
It calms their fear and restores their hope in Christ the prophet. They recognize
him as a true redeemer and a peaceful Messiah. He has come not to fight his enemies
and opponents with weapons and ammunition, as Peter had initially thought, but to
bring them love, peace, and forgiveness. No wonder they said to Christ, “Stay with
us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over” (Luke 24:29).
The
Eucharist we break and the Bible lessons we share from our readings. Even on social
media, radio, television, in this time of pandemic are great opportunities for us
to encounter the risen Christ and have our faith nourished and restored, as was
the faith of Cleopas and his companion.
Each
of our faith journeys can be seen not only in light of Peter and the eleven
disciples, but in light of Cleopas and his companion’s journey on the road to Emmaus.
We must seize every opportunity on our own journey through life to recognize and
feel God’s presence on our path. We want him to stay with us and walk with us. We
want Jesus to be with us during meals, at Mass, as we read the Bible, as we pay
attention to the sermon, when we’re on our sickbed, as we wrestle with this
pandemic, when we’re experiencing bad times, and when we’re celebrating good times.
We want Jesus to be with us whether we’re poor or rich. We want him to be with
us at home, at church, in the classroom, in the workplace, and at school. We
want Jesus to be with our children, our priests, our parents, health workers, fire
fighters, our leaders, and our neighbors. He travels always with us on our paths.
He shows us the path of life in this time of Pandemic!
Reflection
Questions
1.
How often do you recognize that Christ accompanies you every day?
2.
How do you relate to today’s readings?
3.
In moments of loss, or in this moment of corona-virus pandemic do you feel that the
Lord is with you?
