Luke 24:13-35

Acts 3:1-10

Psalm 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9

Luke 24:13-35

That very day, the first day of the week,

two of Jesus’ disciples were going

to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,

and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.

And it happened that while they were conversing and debating,

Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,

but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.

He asked them,

“What are you discussing as you walk along?”

They stopped, looking downcast.

One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply,

“Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem

who does not know of the things

that have taken place there in these days?”

And he replied to them, “What sort of things?”

They said to him,

“The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene,

who was a prophet mighty in deed and word

before God and all the people,

how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over

to a sentence of death and crucified him.

But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel;

and besides all this,

it is now the third day since this took place.

Some women from our group, however, have astounded us:

they were at the tomb early in the morning

and did not find his Body;

they came back and reported

that they had indeed seen a vision of angels

who announced that he was alive.

Then some of those with us went to the tomb

and found things just as the women had described,

but him they did not see.”

And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are!

How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!

Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things

and enter into his glory?”

Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,

he interpreted to them what referred to him

in all the Scriptures.

As they approached the village to which they were going,

he gave the impression that he was going on farther.

But they urged him, “Stay with us,

for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.”

So he went in to stay with them.

And it happened that, while he was with them at table,

he took bread, said the blessing,

broke it, and gave it to them.

With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,

but he vanished from their sight.

Then they said to each other,

“Were not our hearts burning within us

while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”

So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem

where they found gathered together

the Eleven and those with them who were saying,

“The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!”

Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way

and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Opening Prayer: Lord God, each mass is a new Emmaus. In the Liturgy of the Word, I walk with your Son and he opens the Scriptures to me. In the Liturgy of the Eucharist, I sit at table with your Son and receive the Bread of Life. Open my eyes today to see with faith and inflame my heart with your divine love.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Fulfillment of Genesis and Exodus: What did Jesus say to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus? They walked about seven miles together and spoke for over two hours about the Old Testament and how Jesus fulfilled everything spoken about him in the Scriptures. Jesus began his explanation with Moses and the prophets. Let’s look briefly at the five Books of Moses and how Jesus fulfills them. In Genesis, God promised a savior, who would bruise the head of the serpent. Jesus is that savior, born of Mary. Jesus is the New Adam; Mary is the New Eve. Jesus is the New Abel, the innocent one who is handed over for death by one of his brothers. Jesus is the descendant of Abraham, through whom all nations are blessed. Jesus is the New Isaac, who is sacrificed for our sins. Jesus is the king, who descends from Judah. Jesus is the New Joseph through whom the sons of Israel are saved from death. In the Book of Exodus, God frees the people from the slavery of Egypt. On the night of the Passover, the lamb was sacrificed and its blood saved the people from the angel of death. God led the people through Moses into the desert and to the Promised Land. Manna was given to the people for their journey. He established a covenant with the people at the foot of Mount Sinai, a covenant that was immediately broken by Israel. Jesus fulfills the Book of Exodus because frees the people from the slavery of sin. He is sacrificed as the Lamb of God during the Passover and his blood saves the people from eternal death. Jesus is the New Moses who leads the people on a New Exodus to the Promised Land of Heaven. Jesus gives the people of God the new manna, bread from heaven, his own body and blood. Finally, Jesus establishes a New Covenant that can never be broken.

2. The Fulfillment of Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy: In the Book of Leviticus, God commands that sacrifice be offered for sin and to give thanks to God; Aaron and his sons are ordained priests; rules are established for purification and the people are commanded to be holy (19:2); the liturgical feasts of the year are also instituted (23:1-44); and twelve loaves of the bread of the presence are commanded to be placed on the table in the tabernacle. The Old Testament sacrifices are shown to be unable to take away sin; the sacrifice of Jesus, however, is able to forgive our sins. Jesus is not a Levitical priest but is rather a priest according to the order of Melchizedek. Jesus will give the new law to the people and command that they be perfect and merciful and their heavenly father is perfect and merciful. Jesus brings all of the Old Testament feasts to their fulfillment. Jesus remains with his people and is really present in the Eucharist. In the Book of Numbers, Moses lifted a bronze serpent on the pole and the people were saved from the fiery serpents. Jesus taught that when he is lifted up on the Cross, he the people will come to believe in him. Through Jesus’ passion on the Cross, we are freed from the ancient Serpent, the devil. In the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses gives the people the second law and promises that God will raise up a prophet like him. Jesus is the prophet-like-Moses, the New Moses, who brings the old law to fulfillment.

3. Continuing the Mission of the Messiah: After announcing the Resurrection of Jesus to the Jewish people, and baptizing three thousand, Peter and John go to the Temple for afternoon prayer, for the daily evening sacrifice. When Peter encounters the crippled man, he ministers to him in the name of Jesus, the Lord. Peter gives the man what he has received from Jesus. Peter is able to heal because he has been empowered to heal by Jesus. “[T]his healing confirms the impression given at the beginning of Acts that Jesus would continue to speak and act through his disciples, and especially his apostles” (Kurz, Acts of the Apostles, p. 68). The healing restores the man to the community and its worship. He no longer remains outside the Temple but can join the liturgical assembly, and praise and give thanks to God. The healing is a sign that the Messianic age has arrived: "Then the lame shall leap like a stag" (Isaiah 35:6; see Kurz, Acts of the Apostles, p. 68).

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I am called, like the disciples on the way to Emmaus and like Peter and John, to stay with you and to be sent out on a mission. Open the Scriptures to me so that I may carry the Good News of salvation to all those I meet today.

Living the Word of God: Throughout the year, as we read and hear the Scriptures, we are on the road to Emmaus with Jesus. He is the one who opens to us the Scriptures and brings us to the fullness of truth. He makes our hearts burn with love for him and the gift of the Eucharist. How can I dedicate quality time this Easter to meditating on his Word?