“I Came so that They Might Have Life…”
Sometimes, God is presented as a demanding God. For example, people ask, “How do I know what God wants me to do?”
God doesn't want anything from us. In this Gospel passage, Jesus tells us that God loves and cares for us. Moreover, in Jesus’ death and resurrection, God has already given us peace, love, and “abundant life.”
Image source: www.agnusday.org
To Recognize Jesus Walking with Us
Luke 24: 13-35
“Jesus himself drew near and walked with them.”
Jesus still takes the initiative, and walks with us on our journey. He walks with us in our loved ones, relatives, friends, and companions. He also walks with us in people who might only come into our lives once.
He walks with us when we recognize him and when we don’t.
The two disciples recall that they recognize Jesus “in the breaking of bread.” The more we are connected with Jesus in the Eucharist, the more readily can we recognize him walking with us.
Peace and Forgiveness
The Risen Christ gives the disciples the gifts of peace and forgiveness.
The disciples who have denied and abandoned Jesus need the gift of forgiveness. Moreover, knowing that one is forgiven is a human need.
God knows that peace comes with forgiveness.
The Risen Christ then empowered the disciples to forgive so as to be the instruments of His peace.
The Risen Christ now empowers us to do the same.
Witnesses
In this passage from the Acts of the Apostles, Peter is preaching to a group of gentiles.
First, Peter points out that they already know some information about Jesus. Peter then offers his own testimony of what he has witnessed and his faith in Jesus.
Today, many people might know about Jesus, but might not have faith in him.
Like Peter, we still need to share with others our faith in the Risen Christ.
The Divine Became a Slave so that Slaves Might Become Divine
In the Second Reading, St. Paul professed that Jesus emptied himself of his divinity in choosing to become one like us and by accepting the death on the cross of a slave. In so doing, he freed all humanity, who once were slaves to sins and death.
Moreover, as the Son of God, he shares with us his divinity. His words and his Eucharist (the Gospel) continues to pour out on us every day and makes us one with Him, children of God.
Thus, the events of Jesus passion, death, and resurrection make this week Holy Week. And we celebrate this week as an act of praise and thanksgiving.
