Reflection for the 3^rd Sunday of Easter

In Sunday’s Gospel we meet two disciples walking away from Jerusalem. They were walking away from everything they thought Jesus would be. Their steps are heavy, their conversation discouraged, their hearts confused. They are walking in the wrong direction, both geographically and spiritually. And yet, this is exactly where the Risen Jesus chooses to meet them.

Luke tells us that Jesus “drew near and walked with them,” though they did not recognize Him. Notice how gently the Lord works. He does not overwhelm them with majestic images. He does not scold them for their lack of faith. He  simply walks beside them, listens to their pain, and opens the Scriptures to them.

Only later, after He breaks the bread, do they realize who He is. And then comes that beautiful line: “Were not our hearts burning within us while He spoke to us on the way?” A heart that burns is a heart that has been touched by divine love. It is the heart of someone who suddenly realizes that He is alive…He is with me…He has not abandoned me. The  disciples’ hearts burned not because Jesus gave them new information, but because He gave them Himself. He rekindled their hope and set their love ablaze again.

This is what the Risen Christ wants to do for us. Every time we open Scripture, every time we pray, every time we come to the Eucharist, He draws near. He walks with us. He speaks to us. And if we let Him, He will provide the inner flame that sets our heart on fire. The Emmaus story reminds us that faith is not merely knowing about Jesus, it is being  inflamed by His presence.

After their eyes are opened, the disciples do something remarkable: they immediately return to Jerusalem. Remember, they had just walked seven miles away from Jerusalem. It was evening and the road was dangerous, but love makes the impossible possible. When your heart is burning, you cannot stay where you are. They return by a different way, not a different road, but a different interior direction. They left Jerusalem in despair, but they return in joy. They left  confused, but they return with certainty. They left thinking Jesus was dead, but they return proclaiming He is alive.

This is the pattern of every true encounter with the Risen Lord. When Jesus opens our eyes, we cannot go back to life as usual. When Jesus sets our hearts on fire, we cannot keep walking the old path of discouragement, sin, or spiritual  laziness. When we encounter Christ, we must return by a different way.

We see the example of this time and time again in Sacred Scripture. Think of the Magi who, after meeting the newborn Christ, “returned home by another way.” Think of Zacchaeus who, after encountering Jesus, returned to his life with generosity and justice. Think of Mary Magdalene who ran from the empty tomb to announce the Resurrection. Every encounter with Jesus demands a new direction.

And all of this brings us to an important question? What About Us? Where are we on the road today? Are we walking away from Jerusalem? Are we walking away from prayer, away from hope, away from the Church because life has  disappointed us? Or are we allowing Jesus to walk with us, even when we do not recognize Him? And once He sets our hearts on fire, will we return by a different way? Will we forgive someone we have avoided? Will we return to the  sacraments with renewed devotion? Will we let go of a sin that has kept us stuck? Will we share our faith with someone who needs hope? 

This Gospel, this Emmaus story, is not just about two disciples long ago. It is about us. Jesus walks with us, He speaks to us. He feeds us with His Body and Blood and sends us forth with burning hearts to live differently.

May our hearts burn with love for the Risen Lord. And may we, like the disciples, rise from our discouragement and return by a new and grace‑filled way.

May God bless you on your journey.

Deacon Anthony