It was on the evening of the first day of the week. Two disciples were going back to their home village. They actually were in retreat, leaving Jerusalem, scared, discouraged and perplexed. Jesus had been for them a mentor, the Hope they had all been waiting for! Yes, Jesus was no doubt the Messiah who was announced in the Scriptures. But what now? Instead of defeating the Romans, instead of restoring the Kingdom of Israel, instead of putting back the Pharisees in their place once and for all... Jesus was now dead, hanging on a wooden cross in the company of two criminals. And as they were commenting and lamenting on the way, Jesus appeared to them, but they could not recognise him.

But who were they, those two disciples? They were just nobody’s, in fact they could be any one of us... talking, commenting, lamenting, with no understanding of the Scriptures. For just being together to talk, share our experiences and ideas for the purpose of comforting one another cannot truly answer the main problems and questions of life or even give us peace. We need much... much more!

Jesus then started to teach them all what concerned Him in the Scriptures, starting with Moses and the prophets. As He was talking to them, their hearts were burning. When He broke the bread for them, they eventually recognised Him, but then He disappeared from their sight. Having had a personal encounter with the Lord, they went back “running” to Jerusalem to give testimony of what had become for them “faith as strong as a rock”!

Jesus appeared to his disciples to strengthen them in their faith, but also and mainly to show them how he would be present to them in the Church. Today, we are actually meeting with the risen Christ every time we come together to listen to His Word, explained and actualised in the homily, sharing together in the One bread, One Body of Christ at the table of the Lord. Are we aware of His presence?