The Path of Life
April 6, 2008

Readings for the Third Sunday of Easter

Reading 1: Acts 2:14, 22–33

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 16:1–2, 5, 7–8, 9–10, 11

Reading 2: 1 Pet. 1:17–21

Gospel: Lk. 24:13–35

Link to Readings

By Father Paul Hrezo

Jesus the Messiah changed their lives. The Messiah, the all-powerful anointed One, helped them to understand His suffering, death, and Resurrection. He made His presence known to them in ways that both set their hearts on fire and showed them the path of life.

As two of Jesus’ disciples traveled the road away from Jerusalem, they discussed all that had happened in recent days. Their hopes had been both confused and deflated. They had hoped that Jesus was the one to redeem Israel. But, He had been betrayed and humiliated, then crucified.

Now some women who went to the tomb that morning said they had seen angels who told them that Jesus was alive; what’s more, they could not find His body there. This confusion was like the road they were traveling on, descending from Jerusalem, with its winding turns and its steep downhills. Though it was a journey home, they felt a dread about were they were going. They were still trying to sort things out. They would probably conclude that it was best just to try to forget about it. It would be best to get back to the daily routine and face reality under Roman oppression, as it had been both throughout their lives and throughout the Empire.

An Unexpected Companion

Then a curious and surprisingly enthusiastic traveler approaches them. He indicates that he would like to join their debate. Why would this stranger want to join such a downcast conversation? How could they discuss with him something so confusing to them? And who coming from Jerusalem would not have known about the events of these past three days? As Cleopas describes the events, the traveler seems to nod his head and shrug his shoulder as if to say, “Of course.”

“But isn’t it clear? This is how it was supposed to happen. This is what was supposed to happen to the Messiah.” They frown at each other then to him and say, “Betrayal, humiliation, crucifixion, a missing body, and fantasies of angels; this in fulfillment of God’s plan for the all-powerful anointed One—where is that in the prophets?” What kind of stranger breaks into a conversation in order to confuse it more? Travelers and visitors usually engage in polite talk about the weather, then mind their own business.

But this traveler begins to explain passages in the Scriptures which do refer to the suffering and surrendering that the Messiah, the all-powerful anointed One, would ironically endure. He quotes from Isaiah 52:13, beginning with, “See, my servant shall prosper, he shall be raised high and greatly exalted,” through 53:4 and, “yet it was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings he endured, while we thought of him as stricken, as one smitten by God and afflicted. But he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins; upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by his stripes we were healed.” He gives them further hope from this same chapter of Isaiah with verse 11, “Because of his affliction he shall see the light in fullness of days.” He concludes with the rest of that chapter, “Through his suffering my servant shall justify many and their guilt he shall bear . . . he shall take away the sins of many and win pardon for their offenses.”

He further enlightens them by quoting Psalm 22 and showing it to be words of hope and confidence beyond the despair expressed by “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me.” They remember that eyewitnesses at the Cross had heard those words from Jesus just before His death. That psalm includes, “Yet, in you our fathers trusted . . . and you delivered them.” It concludes with, “All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; All the families of nations shall bow down before him.” The Messiah would break the oppression of sin and death, be vindicated by “seeing the light in fullness of days,” and so bring forgiveness and salvation to peoples of all nations.

The traveler quotes more and more passages that show the power of the Messiah’s entrusting his sufferings to God and the offering of His life for the forgiveness of sins.

The Breaking of the Bread

As they arrive near Emmaus, they invite this illuminating traveler to stay with them, since the night around them is settling in more deeply. As they share food with him, they ask him to offer the blessing, since he is so versed in and so trusting of the ways of God’s blessings.

The traveler had explained that the Messiah’s body had been raised and broken on the cross; they see it again as the traveler breaks open this loaf of unleavened bread of Passover-tide. And, they see the wound marks on his hands! Their eyes are opened! And the Messiah vanishes from their eyesight.

Now, no longer downcast, they sprint along the road back uphill to Jerusalem. Though it is now night they see a light shining through the window of where the Eleven are gathered. To them they proclaim, “We have seen him! He set our hearts on fire and opened our eyes. The breaking of bread, the offering of his life for the forgiveness of sins—this is the path of life! The Messiah is alive and with us.” The others rejoiced, too, from having encountered the Messiah in their midst. He had calmed their fears, had supped with them too, and had focused the path of their lives on “doing this in memory of me”: preaching a message of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Jesus had changed their lives today. Today, both on the road and in their gatherings in Emmaus and in Jerusalem, He had set their hearts on fire and had shown them the path of life!

Fr. Paul Hrezo, a priest of the Diocese of Steubenville, is currently serving as Spiritual Director for the college seminarians at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio. He is also the current State Chaplain for the Knights of Columbus.

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