Did We Miss the Resurrection? Finding Christ Today on the Road to Emmaus

 3 Sunday of Easter | Lk 24:13-35

The feeling of missing out, so common in a world shaped by social media, can also affect how we view the resurrection, as though we were born too late to encounter Christ. The road to Emmaus reveals that the risen Jesus is still present today, especially in the Scriptures, the Eucharist, community, and acts of charity. With the eyes of faith, we come to see that we are not at a disadvantage, but are continually invited to encounter him along our journey.

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Nowadays, with social media, people have the opportunity to share their experiences constantly. If you use platforms like Instagram, you may have had the experience of looking at someone’s post and feeling a bit jealous, as though you are missing out. We all know those people who seem to be travelling, having incredible experiences, maybe even meeting famous people. It can leave us wondering why we cannot experience those same things.

Now imagine for a moment that social media existed during the time of the disciples. You could picture people in first-century Israel scrolling through their feeds and coming across posts from Peter: “So happy to be here with our risen Lord. We didn’t think he would rise from the dead, but here he is.” As time goes on, there are more posts, and then finally one saying that the risen Lord has ascended into heaven. Those reading might think, “I’m too late. I missed it.” They would feel that sense of having missed something extraordinary.

In a similar way, we can sometimes feel this when we read the Gospels. We might think we were born two thousand years too late, that we missed the resurrection, that we do not get to experience Christ as the first disciples did. Because of this, we may feel at a disadvantage, as though we cannot be disciples in the same way.

When we feel like this, the story of the road to Emmaus is incredibly important. It teaches us that we are not at a disadvantage at all. It shows us how we, too, experience the risen Jesus in our midst if we know where to look.

The story describes a journey, and that journey reflects our own lives. Two followers of Jesus are walking along, feeling downcast and heartbroken. They had placed their hopes in Jesus, and now they are disappointed. We can relate to that. Along our own journey, we experience discouragement, confusion, and fatigue. We ask where Christ is and how he is guiding us.

Then comes a remarkable detail. Jesus is walking beside them, but they do not recognize him. This is an important message. The risen Christ is present, but not always immediately visible. This happens in other resurrection accounts as well. In John’s Gospel, Mary Magdalene encounters the risen Jesus but mistakes him for the gardener.

Luke is teaching us that we are like those disciples. Jesus walks with us, even when we do not recognize him.

The Gospel then shows us how we encounter him. First, through the Scriptures. Jesus explains the meaning of the Scriptures to the disciples, and their hearts begin to burn within them. Second, through the breaking of the bread, which is Luke’s way of referring to the Eucharist.

This is why the Mass is so central. In every Mass, we encounter Christ in these same two ways: in the Word and in the Eucharist. We listen to the Scriptures proclaimed, and Christ speaks to us. A word or phrase may stand out, encouraging us or challenging us. Then, in the Eucharist, we receive his presence in a profound and tangible way.

But there is more. The disciples are not alone; they journey together. Christ is also present in community. Whenever we gather in his name, he is there. We encounter him in one another.

We also encounter Christ through acts of charity. The disciples show hospitality to the stranger on the road. They invite him to stay with them. They offer him a meal. It is through this act of kindness that they come to recognize him.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches that when we serve those in need, we serve him. Christ is present in those who are hungry, lonely, or in need of encouragement. When we care for others, we meet him there.

There is a powerful image sometimes called “Christ in the breadline.” It shows a line of people waiting for food, ordinary and tired, and among them stands Christ. The message is simple: he is present in those who are in need.

The Gospel reminds us that we are not missing out. We have not been born too late. The risen Jesus is still present. He walks with us, speaks to us, and reveals himself to us if we have the eyes to see.

Let us ask for the grace to recognize him in the Scriptures, in the Eucharist, in our community, and in those we serve. Along our journey, he is always there.

Divine Mercy Sunday: Living God’s Mercy in a World That Needs Peace

 2 Sunday Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday

Divine Mercy Sunday reminds us that God’s mercy is active, reaching out to those who suffer and meet us in our struggles. In a world marked by conflict and indifference, we are called to live that mercy concretely by working for peace and building loving communities. Trusting in Christ’s victory, we are invited to repeat with confidence: Jesus, I trust in you.

Image: OSV/Reuters/Lola Gomez, Claudia Morales

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Jesus, I trust in you. Jesus, I trust in you. This is a prayer many of us know well. We have likely heard it before or seen it on images associated with Divine Mercy. It has become very popular as this devotion has spread throughout the Church.

The devotion to Divine Mercy, which we celebrate today, began about one hundred years ago when a Polish nun, Saint Faustina Kowalska, began receiving revelations from Jesus that emphasized God’s great mercy, his love for those who are in need. This devotion spread through her diary and, in a particular way, through the witness of Pope John Paul II, who canonized her and established this Sunday as Divine Mercy Sunday for the whole Church.

The message of this feast is simple and powerful. God’s mercy is greater than any of our sins and any of our sufferings. In the Gospel today, we see that mercy is not passive. Mercy is active.

On Easter, we celebrate Christ’s victory over sin and death. On Divine Mercy Sunday, we see what that victory looks like in our daily lives. Mercy can be better understood through the Latin word misericordia. Miseria refers to those who suffer, and cor means heart. Mercy means having a heart for those who suffer.

God’s mercy is not distant. It moves outward. It draws close to those in need. We see this clearly in the Gospel through Thomas the Apostle. Thomas is struggling with his faith. He was not present when the other disciples first encountered the risen Lord. Like all of us at times, he struggles to believe. Yet Jesus does not reject him or scold him. Instead, Jesus returns. He seeks Thomas out. He gives him exactly what he needs and invites him to touch his wounds. This is mercy in action. Christ sees someone who is struggling and goes out to help him.

Divine mercy shows us that the resurrection is not just an event of the past. It continues to shape our lives today. Jesus continues to come to us, to accompany us, and to help us in our struggles.

Mercy also has very concrete implications for our world today. Recently, Pope Leo XIV has spoken strongly about the need for peace in the midst of ongoing conflicts. He reminds us that we are living in a world that is becoming increasingly accustomed to violence, a world where the suffering of entire peoples risks being met with indifference. He has challenged world leaders with these words: “Let those who have weapons lay them down. Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace.”

Working for peace is one of the most concrete ways we live out mercy. War brings immense suffering, and God’s heart is especially close to those who suffer because of conflict and violence. If we want to be instruments of God’s mercy, we are called to be people of peace.

At the same time, we may wonder what we can actually do. The problems of the world can feel overwhelming. One helpful way to think about this is through the expression: think globally and act locally.

To think globally means to be aware of the suffering in our world and to respond first through prayer. We are called to pray for peace and for all those who suffer. We are also called to act responsibly in our civic life, including how we form our conscience and make decisions that affect society.

To act locally means to live mercy in our daily lives. The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles gives us a beautiful image of the early Christian community. They gathered together in unity. They shared what they had. They worshipped God together. They worked toward reconciliation and welcomed others into their community.

We are called to do the same. We live mercy by being generous, by practicing hospitality, by building community, and by working toward peace in our relationships. Mercy becomes real in the small, daily choices we make.

During this Easter season, we are reminded of the presence of the risen Christ through the Easter candle. Its light reminds us that Christ has conquered darkness. Even in a world marked by violence and suffering, his light continues to shine.

We are also reminded of our baptism. In baptism, we receive that light and are called to carry it into the world. We are called to be signs of Christ’s mercy wherever we go.

As we continue this celebration, we are invited to trust. Trust that Christ is at work. Trust that his mercy is greater than sin, greater than suffering, greater than the darkness we see around us.

Let us repeat often the prayer of Divine Mercy: Jesus, I trust in you

How the Resurrection Changes Everything: A New Perspective for Easter Sunday

 Easter Sunday

The resurrection of Jesus is a truth that radically changes how we see the world, just as major discoveries in history reshaped human perspective. Like the first disciples, encountering the risen Christ transforms fear into courage and despair into hope. When truly believed, the resurrection calls us to live differently, allowing Christ’s victory to shape every part of our lives.

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Have you been following the journey of the Artemis spacecraft? Maybe just a few of you, but it really is incredible. The world has once again sent people toward the moon. Just a few days ago, an image was released as Artemis made its way from the earth to the moon. Looking back, we see that iconic image of the earth in the distance, small and fragile.

Many have compared this to the images taken in the early 1970s. When you see the earth from that distance, it changes your perspective. It makes you see things differently. Questions that seem so important begin to shift. Do national borders matter in the same way? Do conflicts and divisions look the same? Even our care for the environment takes on a new urgency. Simply seeing the earth from afar changes how we understand our place in the world.

There was a similar shift in perspective in the 1600s with Galileo Galilei. He was not the first to propose it, but through his observations he helped demonstrate that the earth is not the center of the universe. Until then, it was widely assumed that everything revolved around us. That belief shaped not only science, but also how people understood their place in creation.

When that truth became known, it changed everything. People began to see the vastness of the universe, the countless stars and planets, and the grandeur of creation. Humanity was no longer at the center in the way it once imagined. A new perspective reshaped how people understood reality itself.

There are truths that, once we see them, we cannot unsee. They change how we live.

Today we celebrate the most important truth of all: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If we truly believe that Jesus has risen from the dead, then nothing in our lives should remain the same.

We see this transformation clearly in the Gospel. Think of Peter, John, and Mary Magdalene. Peter, in particular, had left everything to follow Jesus. He placed all his hope in him. And yet, when Jesus was arrested, Peter denied even knowing him. Then he watched as Jesus was condemned, tortured, and crucified.

When Peter went to the tomb that morning, he did not go expecting the resurrection. He went with grief, with regret, and with confusion about his future. But everything changed when he encountered the empty tomb.

Imagine the transformation. From mourning to hope. From fear to courage.

We see this change most clearly in the Acts of the Apostles. Peter, who once denied Jesus, now boldly proclaims him. He is no longer afraid. He is willing even to give his life for Christ.

The resurrection changed everything for the first disciples. And it should change everything for us.

We celebrate with joy today, but it must go deeper than that. The resurrection must change how we think, how we act, how we see others, and how we live each day.

C. S. Lewis once posed a powerful question: what would change in your life if you truly believed in the resurrection and in eternal life? What if you truly believed that every person you encounter is destined to live forever?

It might even change how we drive or how we speak to others. But more seriously, it would change how we love, how we forgive, and how we carry hope.

What would it change in how we grieve those who have died? What would it change when we face struggles, bad habits, or discouragement? What would it change if we truly believed that Christ has conquered sin and death?

The resurrection tells us that Christ is victorious, that he is king, and that his kingdom will endure forever. This is not just a belief to celebrate once a year. It is a truth meant to transform our entire lives.

And yet, it is easy to forget. We become busy. We get caught up in daily concerns. For this reason, we are given the gift of Easter each year, to return to this central truth and allow it to renew us.

Before us stands the Easter candle, blessed at the Vigil. It is the sign that Christ is the light of the world, the sign of his victory over death. In baptism, we received that same light and were called to carry it into the world.

Today, we will renew our baptismal promises. Many of us had these promises made for us as children. Now we renew them ourselves.

We will also be sprinkled with blessed water, a reminder of our baptism and the new life we received in Christ.

As we do this, let us ask ourselves a simple but important question: what do I want the light of the resurrection to change in my life today?

Perhaps it is an area of discouragement or hopelessness. Perhaps it is a struggle to forgive or to move forward. Perhaps it is a call to deeper faith.

Let us ask Christ to bring the light of his resurrection into those places.

Some truths, once we truly see them, must change everything.

Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. And because of that, our lives can never be the same.