Rise up

This song popularized by Andra Day reverberates the collective sentiments of many nowadays when the world faces difficult times due to this horrendous plague. These lyrics must evoke in us the spirit of hope, resiliency, and vigilance: but I promise we'll take the world to its feet and move mountain...and I'll rise up...I'll rise unafraid...

On the Third Sunday of Easter, Luke recounts the Emmaus walk of the two disciples. Cleopas and the unnamed (most of the scholars presumed he is Luke) and suddenly a stranger (Jesus) joined them. The two were surprised that he was not aware of what happened in Jerusalem. Looking downcast both are still hoping that the long-awaited Messiah was indeed the one who died and eventually rose from the dead. The stranger started recalling the stories in the Scripture (Old Testament) and two begin to open their hearts and minds though the stranger concerned about their state of direction, remarks that they lack a clear understanding of the Scriptures, and are slow in faith. While they are listening and getting fascinated by the stranger's account of the scripture, the unthinkable happens
while they are eating the bread and soon enough their eyes begin to open that it is Jesus who accompanies them in the road to Emmaus. But Jesus did not stay longer, He disappears from their sight.

The RESURRECTION of Jesus invites us to know more who Jesus is in a very personal way in our lives. He did not only come to us as a preacher, healer, miracle-worker, a radical reformer, a messenger of hope, justice, and charity. He came to obey His Father's will as foretold in the Scriptures. He died for our salvation and to give us the ultimate price of following Him which is eternal life and so we continue to hope despite the brokenness and endless tragedies and maladies in the world. The two disciplines regain their hope in the midst of doubts, confusion, and lack of faith. They open their minds to the Scripture through Jesus' interpretation and the illumination of the events in the Old Testament.

When we open our hearts, the Holy Spirit will ILLUMINATE to us the real interpretation of the Scriptures according to God's design. We might be engrossed with the demands of our Christian faith: catechesis, evangelization, charities, corporal acts of mercy and even routinely engaged with the benefits of sacraments and teachings of the Church, but if we fail to examine our encounter with the risen Lord, all will just be exercises of futility. We need the guidance of the Holy Spirit to study, learn, and listen to the Word of God and the encounter of Jesus in all human circumstances.

The two disciples SHARED their journey with Jesus on the road to Emmaus. We have our own "Emmaus walk." There must be a priest, a parent, a friend, a teacher, or even a stranger who accidentally initiated a conversation that led you to discover who Jesus was. Today and hopefully during this great crisis, we should talk more about the constant and positive revelations of Jesus even virtually. He can be found in the sufferings and trying moments of the bereaved and sorrowful. The two apostles were weary and uncontrollable, a stranger listened to them and apparently, they listened to their Master and Lord.

We are EUCHARISTIC community and through the breaking of bread, we expect Jesus will also open our eyes more intimately and as we recognize Jesus the heart and soul of the Eucharistic banquet, we partake in this great mystery- the mystery of the Resurrection. Everything will have return back to the Eucharist where all begin.

"The road to Emmaus thus becomes a symbol of our journey of faith: the Scriptures and the Eucharist are the indispensable elements for encountering the Lord. We too often go to Sunday Mass with our worries, difficulties, and disappointments…. Life sometimes wounds us and we go away feeling sad, towards our “Emmaus”, turning our backs on God’s plan. We distance ourselves from God. But the Liturgy of the Word welcomes us: Jesus explains the Scriptures to us and rekindles in our hearts the warmth of faith and hope, and in Communion, he gives us strength. The Word of God, the Eucharist." Pope Francis.