God's grace

Readings for Wednesday April 7, 2010

First Reading: Acts 3:1-10
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 105
Gospel: Luke 24:13-35


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 the bread. (Lk 25-35)

In today's gospel reading, you might see a very familiar scene. Here we have two of the disciples on their way to Emmaus, when all of a sudden Jesus joins them, however they were unaware of this. Then Jesus begins to explain the scriptures to the disciples. After this, He joins them for a meal, more specifically the breaking of the bread, and it is then that the disciples recognize Christ in the breaking of the bread. Think about what does this gospel story remind you of? Perhaps the mass? Think about it, the mass has two parts; the liturgy of the word, where the word of God is read to us and explained. The other part is the liturgy of the Eucharist, where we all receive the body and blood of Jesus through bread and wine.

This gospel not only shows how the risen Jesus appeared to some of His disciples, but also how He is with us and ready to pour out His grace upon us through the Sacraments. It was only through the Eucharist, or breaking of the bread, that the disciples where able to recognize Jesus. It is the same for us, we can come to recognize Jesus more in our lives and be filled with His grace by regularly going to mass and being fed through both the word and the Eucharist.

Christ gave us the Sacraments so that we can continue to have ways of encountering Him through physical things. We must remember that we need the Sacraments, because this is one of the ways in which God meets us and gives us certain kinds of grace. These Sacraments are necessary because each of us desperately need God's grace in our lives.

Father above, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Lord, thank you for all that you have blessed us with . Lord, thank you for the grace that you give us through your Sacraments. Thank you for always meeting us where we are at and coming to us in order to bring us up. Lord, you are the bread of life; the light, the truth and the way, help us to always follow you and never stray from your love and mercy. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.