Daily Meditation - EASTER WEDNESDAY 25March 2008 - EYES THAT CAN SEE WHAT IS REALLY THERE

[BarbaraTherese]

Readings
usccb.org/nab/032608.shtml

Meditation
wau.org/meditations/meditations.asp?month=3&day=26&year=2008&x=18&y=6

The psalmist urges us to constantly seek the face of the Lord (Psalm 105:4). Well, looking someone in the eye seems to be a key to the miracle we read about today. It also seems to be the key in the revelation given in today’s Gospel to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24).

Begging for alms was this lame man’s daily occupation, but Peter looked intently at him and commanded his attention: “Look at us.” With one glance, the beggar expressed his need, as well as his expectation that Peter would help him. But Peter saw more than the physical need.*** Because this apostle’s look, words, and touch conveyed the healing power of God, the man leapt to his feet, jumping and praising God.***

Likewise, the disciples journeying to Emmaus had downcast faces (Luke 24:17). They didn’t even raise their eyes to get a good look at the stranger who joined them. Their hearts did begin to burn as he unveiled the meaning of Scripture, but not until they sat down for a meal did they look him full in the face. As he broke bread and said the blessing, their eyes were finally opened to recognize their risen Master.

How easy it can be to fail to recognize the Lord because we are not looking at each other closely enough! Sometimes embarrassment turns our glance aside from “one of these least brothers” of Jesus’ (Matthew 25:40). We may be embarrassed at his predicament—and embarrassed that we haven’t tried to help him. Sometimes we pass someone by without a closer look because we’re too busy. Working for the kingdom,

do we take time for that personal contact which alone allows kingdom love to flow?

Whatever the situation, when we don’t take time to look each other in the eye,

we miss seeing God’s image right in front of us

. Like the downcast disciples and the defeated beggar, we miss recognizing Jesus.

Today, resolve to look into the eyes of every person you meet. Pray for the grace to see Christ in each one, and to respond in bold, compassionate faith to what you see.

“Thank you, Lord, for turning your eyes of mercy upon me
before I dared to look you in the face.
Help me to see you
in everyone I encounter today,
so that I can reach out in love.”

 

[bwhite06517]

The Gospel reading for Wednesday March 26th is Luke 24: 13-35 the “Road to Emmaus”. This is one of my favorite post-Easter Gospel readings.

This Gospel speaks quite a bit to me.

1. we can get lost in our own thoughts to see the reality of Christ in our midst. “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?”
2. the two men are ‘Joe Average’ types - not the disciples, one is named, the other is not. That speaks to me that although I am not a priest, bishop, sister, brother, religious, that God can (and does) come to me as an “average man in the pew”.
3. Their eyes were opened with the ‘breaking of bread’ - should not our eyes (and hearts) be open with Jesus in the Eucharist?
4. "Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”. The Gospel should cause our hearts to burn -and we should be ‘on fire’ for Jesus!!!
5. A personal quest. Two years ago, this reading inspired me. The story says Emmaus is about 7 miles from Jerusalem - and they walked it - and after Jesus departs, they walk back to Jerusalem to tell the disciples. That is 14 miles in a day. I started walking larger distances. I got to 14 miles once. This spring, I intend to start walking such distances again.

Bruce

 

[BarbaraTherese]

The Gospel reading for Wednesday March 26th is Luke 24: 13-35 the “Road to Emmaus”. This is one of my favorite post-Easter Gospel readings.

This Gospel speaks quite a bit to me.

1. we can get lost in our own thoughts to see the reality of Christ in our midst. “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?”
2. the two men are ‘Joe Average’ types - not the disciples, one is named, the other is not. That speaks to me that although I am not a priest, bishop, sister, brother, religious, that God can (and does) come to me as an “average man in the pew”.
3. Their eyes were opened with the ‘breaking of bread’ - should not our eyes (and hearts) be open with Jesus in the Eucharist?
4. "Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”. The Gospel should cause our hearts to burn -and we should be ‘on fire’ for Jesus!!!
5. A personal quest. Two years ago, this reading inspired me. The story says Emmaus is about 7 miles from Jerusalem - and they walked it - and after Jesus departs, they walk back to Jerusalem to tell the disciples. That is 14 miles in a day. I started walking larger distances. I got to 14 miles once. This spring, I intend to start walking such distances again.

Bruce

Thank you for the (name removed by moderator)ut, Bruce. As a teenager as we studied the Gospel of Matthew as Jesus entered each new town I was marking out on a map his walk of Galilee…Jesus did an aweful lot of walking indeed and must have been extremely physically fit. The Road to Emmaus Gospel is a favourite of mine also…it is in the most ordinary and unexpected and unlikely of events that our eyes can be opened to the Presence of Jesus. After all the two disciples were under the impression all was finished and Jesus was dead…things are not always as they seem! I am reading “Theology and Sanity” by Frank Sheed. Up to about Page 54 I am very startled that I read such a work in my teens and I had completely forgotten how involved it was. These opening pages speak of reality and Reality…of how things seem according to the mind of this world and how they actually are according to eyes opened by The Lord.
Blessings this Easter…Barb