THE ROAD TO EMMAUS
Luke 24. 13-32
“But we had hope that he was the one to redeem Israel.”
At this very moment, things you feel and act on most likely hinge on the lack or the fullness of Hope in your heart. I attended a New Evangelization retreat awhile back and one the speakers was a lively Sister, who was quite funny. Sister gave an captivating account of the Road to Emmaus and the initial lack of hope of Cleopas and the other women that transformed into burning hearts of love, and she eloquently related it to our own life. Hope took on a new meaning. I turned my thoughts inward and reflected on the moments in my life that were full of hope and also in those dark moments where hope was bleak. In those moments, where I had fullness of hope in God, my life was filled with such joy and selfless love but in the moments where I lacked it my life, it seemed foggy and difficult. The absence of hope and trust, is like taking a stroll down a street and noticing the chips and cracks in walkway and houses, instead of the man in need. Without hope our journey seems a time to want to rush through in life, let it pass, rather than savor the good and bad and see the possibility of God’s love in it.
This is the season of Easter. A hope in the promise that Jesus gave His life so that we may have eternal life. Every time we are in a situation whether it be good or bad, if we invite God’s love into it, things will turn out differently, than relying on one’s own thinking or beliefs. If we pray and ask God and Mother Mary to help guide us, it can change the meaning of what is happening and your reaction to it. Something that seems painful, may instead make you realize that you are being strengthened. If someone has hurt or been unkind to you, they may become someone to whom you are grateful. If someone has betrayed your trust, it may allow you see your own brokenness. If we infuse every thought with the God’s thinking instead of our own, it will change your life.
Close your eyes and try this. Think of a situation, that is causing you pain or joy and see someone holding your hand and guiding you towards a path of your choice. One path is filled with hope, whereas you may stumble upon a wounded man, but he reaches out his hand and says, you are so loved. As you continue on this path of hope, you come upon a grieving heart of a women in tears and all you see, is the hand of Mother Mary gently reaching out to you to sit for awhile. She wants to console you with magnanimous love. You own tears begin to gush from the depths of the pain you have ever felt and moments later, you look up and see the sun making you see the radiance you hold within. Let us turn to the path without hope, where we see the same wounded man and toss him a coin, or have pity but can hear not his words because your attention is elsewhere. You pass the grieving women and all you can think, see and hear, is all the things that need tending to in your life and really have not the time to sit. At the end of all the things that have taken your attention, you feel empty. In the path of hope, our life is filled with immense love, in the other, there is despair.
God is gracious and gives us free will to choose. As in the story of the road to Emmaus, where the women did not have hope, they were discouraged and saddened. Once they broke the bread with Jesus, then they realized, he was the Messiah. Luke 24 “were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking with us on the road”. When we place all our hope in God the whole of our life, our thinking, our actions begin to revolve in His great goodness. We see true love. God is Hope. May your Easter journey be filled with Hope and Love.
Funny side note. On a few occasions, when I am filled with joy or excitement, I have been told that I am like a balloon that needs to have it’s string pulled down, and to get back to reality. I am a idealist in heart but a realist. I see beneath the surface of things, but I try to live, for the most part, fully in the love of God’s light. It is a great gift that I feel compelled to share. God bless.
Let us pray. Lord, fill me with your immense love and wisdom. Mother Mary let me feel you wrapping your arms around me. That I may see things of despair through the eyes of God. Amen.
Peace,
A Companion
Our Nourished Soul