Walking THE Road
theophilus March 26th, 2008
Cleopas and his buddy are walking the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus in today’s Gospel (Luke 24). They are probably still stunned and in shock as to what happened that weekend. Then, this “man” comes up next to them and starts talking to them. They don’t realize it’s Christ until much later - after Christ has taught them at length – and celebrated the Eucharistic meal with them.
These disciples were not the only ones who have walked this road. Everyone who has tried to walk with Christ and follow his path has walked their own Roads to Emmaus. If we try to walk with Christ and follow his path, we walk our Road to Emmaus.
And we know this road – we know where it leads – how to travel it – when we get off of it. What we don’t know is where the curves and hills are – what potholes and gravel roads are in our way.
But, it doesn’t matter how difficult the road is ahead of us – if we have enough faith in Christ to know that he is walking with us every step of the way.
And how do we know we are walking with Christ – that we are on the road?
A good start is to take a look at today’s Responsorial Psalm (105), which tells us to “give thanks to the Lord”, “invoke his name,” “make known his deeds,” “sing to him,” “proclaim all his wondrous deeds,” “rejoice,” “look the Lord in his strength,” and “to seek to serve him constantly.” Psalm 105 is pretty self-explanatory – talk to the Lord, rely on him, serve him.
We can then learn how to walk this road by reading today’s first reading (Acts 3), which has Peter and John going to the temple “for the three o’clock hour of prayer.” It’s 3:00 in the afternoon and they are going to go pray. We read this and think “don’t these people have a job.”
But do we pray throughout the day? We should. Prayer shouldn’t take the place of our work – but prayer should complement everything we do throughout the course of our day. It should be our running conversation with God as we go about doing what he wants us to do – and everything we do better be what he wants us to do.
We can take breaks from the rush of the day to say a quick prayer. We can set aside a couple minutes at various points of the day to consciously touch base with and acknowledge God. Other faiths do it – why shouldn’t we?
Still, a third way for us to stay on this road is also offered by today’s first reading, which later on has Peter healing the “crippled” man at the city gates. I can just imagine Peter thinking afterwards – “wow, how cool was that.” Peter, the repentent denier of Christ, now had the power to heal. He had to be as amazed as the man he healed as to what he had done.
And what’s even more amazing is that we all can acheive great things – as long as we alllow Christ to work through us. It may not be something as dramatic as healing a disabled person – but Christ wants to work his wonders and he wants to do so through us. We have to listen to Christ and do what he guides us to do.
The world is filled with great stories everyday of people doing incredible things and accomplishing what we too often call “miracles.” And they are done by people who listened to the voice inside of them – the voice of the Holy Spirit – telling them they could do the seemingly impossible.
So, let’s walk our Road to Emmaus. Let’s stay on it by being like the Psalmist in talking to God, relying on him, serving him. Let’s pray constantly like Peter and John. Let’s listen to Christ and allow him to work the impossible through us like Peter. Let’s be aware when we are off the road so we can hurry to get back on it and let’s encourage others to stay on the road. For the Road to Emmaus is the road to our salvation and eternal life.
- Faith , God's Call , Holy Spirit , Jesus , Liturgy , Prayer
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