Fr Richard's homily for Easter Wednesday
Homily: Walk with the Risen Word
“Did not our hearts burn
within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?”
This was the reaction of the two disciples when they
realised, at the breaking of bread, that it was the Risen Christ Himself, the
fulfilment of the Scriptures, who had explained to them the very word of God
that referred to Him.
In the road to Emmaus account, just days after the Resurrection, we can already see references to the Mass as the centre of our lives. There are clear indications of both parts of the Mass in the Lord’s explanation of the Scriptures and in the breaking of bread. Here we have references to both the Liturgy of the Word, in which the Scriptures are proclaimed and explained to us, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, in which Jesus, the Bread of Life, is broken for us.
Of course, we’re in a difficult period where it’s not possible to participate in either of these parts of the Mass. Perhaps, then, we can capitalise on that “time to kill” we have at home by joining the disciples on that road to Emmaus.
Whenever we open our bible with the intention to meditate on the word of God, Jesus comes by our side as he did the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Firstly, He rejoices that we want to draw closer to Him. Secondly, He wants to accompany us on our journey by listening to us and speaking to us through the Scriptures.
This meditation on the Scriptures is not an academic exercise, but prayer. Like the disciples who spoke of their confusion and sadness of the events in Jerusalem, so can we converse with the Lord during our reading of the Scriptures about our anxieties and worries. In turn, the Lord will want pour out His Divine Wisdom upon us and draw us closer to Him.
The Church considers the dignity of the word of God is so great that she attaches a plenary indulgence (that is, remission from all temporal punishment due to sin) to the devout praying of the Scriptures for half an hour.
During this Easter season, my we take advantage of this plenary indulgence, of walking with the Risen Word of God Himself in meditating on the Scriptures. Our prayer will lead to a deepening of our love for the Mass so that, when we’re able to gather together again at the Lord’s table, we’ll be ever hungrier to hear the word of God and to receive the Word made Flesh in Holy Communion.
In the road to Emmaus account, just days after the Resurrection, we can already see references to the Mass as the centre of our lives. There are clear indications of both parts of the Mass in the Lord’s explanation of the Scriptures and in the breaking of bread. Here we have references to both the Liturgy of the Word, in which the Scriptures are proclaimed and explained to us, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, in which Jesus, the Bread of Life, is broken for us.
Of course, we’re in a difficult period where it’s not possible to participate in either of these parts of the Mass. Perhaps, then, we can capitalise on that “time to kill” we have at home by joining the disciples on that road to Emmaus.
Whenever we open our bible with the intention to meditate on the word of God, Jesus comes by our side as he did the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Firstly, He rejoices that we want to draw closer to Him. Secondly, He wants to accompany us on our journey by listening to us and speaking to us through the Scriptures.
This meditation on the Scriptures is not an academic exercise, but prayer. Like the disciples who spoke of their confusion and sadness of the events in Jerusalem, so can we converse with the Lord during our reading of the Scriptures about our anxieties and worries. In turn, the Lord will want pour out His Divine Wisdom upon us and draw us closer to Him.
The Church considers the dignity of the word of God is so great that she attaches a plenary indulgence (that is, remission from all temporal punishment due to sin) to the devout praying of the Scriptures for half an hour.
During this Easter season, my we take advantage of this plenary indulgence, of walking with the Risen Word of God Himself in meditating on the Scriptures. Our prayer will lead to a deepening of our love for the Mass so that, when we’re able to gather together again at the Lord’s table, we’ll be ever hungrier to hear the word of God and to receive the Word made Flesh in Holy Communion.
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