HOMILY: Third Sunday of Easter
Luke 24: 13-35
23 April 2023
Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA
Please raise your hand if you believe that Jesus is present at every mass? The Holy Mass is the one opportunity for us to come face to face with our God not just through the presider, but through the proclaimed Word, the sacred species of Christ’s body and blood, and the congregation. In all these, Jesus Christ becomes alive in every mass. So every mass is important!
Today’s gospel story of the disciples heading to Emmaus points to us the privileged places for encountering the risen Christ in the Eucharist. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus were privileged to be accompanied by Jesus along the way, to listen to Him explaining the Scriptures to them, and to break bread with Him. If we look at it closely, what indicated to the two disciples that their travel companion was Jesus, are also the two most important parts of our mass. First of all, they recognised Him only by His breaking of the bread. Secondly, they recalled that their hearts were “burning” when He quoted and explained the scriptures to them. Isn’t that also our experience at mass? We gather at the Table of the Word to hear the scripture proclaimed to us and through the priest’s homily we seek to understand the message of God for us. As Jesus explained the Scriptures to the two disciples; “He interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). Jesus speaks to us His Word of life in the Scriptures proclaimed every Sunday. Then afterwards we gather at the Table of the Eucharist to partake of Jesus’ body and blood in communion! Every time we celebrate the Eucharist, we meet Jesus and are nourished from the Table of God’s Word and the Table of Christ’s Body.
I have talked to friends who were baptised and raised Catholic but later changed their religion. Surprisingly, the main reason for their switch is the quality of the Sunday masses of the Catholic Church. They found it to be unsatisfying and unfulfilling. A young French friend told me, he doesn’t like our songs at mass. He said they can be repetitive and uninspiring. Others get frustrated with priests because they have issues with them — grumpy, with vices, strict, and so on. The others said they did not get anything from the readings and the priest’s homily. They just fall asleep. Those are their reasons why they are leaving the Catholic church. It is a bit shallow, isn’t it? If only they received sufficient catechesis and made an effort to know more of their faith, they may have developed a better understanding and appreciation of the beauty and the significance of the mass for all of us Catholic Christians.
Departure stories like this are sad considering what I mentioned at the beginning of this homily that Jesus is part of the mass on so many occasions. The song selection is the responsibility of the choir and the music minister. They should choose hymns that are suitable, touching and singable. Besides giving life to the liturgical celebration, the songs are meant to unify the people in worship! The purpose is defeated if the massgoers cannot sing the songs. Mass is not the place for the choir to show off their vocal calisthenics. Their role is to encourage participation from the congregation. Many people also do not like the mass because of the priest. Sometimes they even go to mass and avoid the priest. Please remember that we, priests are not God. We are not perfect. We are also imperfect human beings and we cannot please everyone. Some don’t like those priests who speak fast, some don’t like those who speak slowly. Some people like priests who are serious, some like those who crack jokes. In truth, sometimes the priest does not know anymore what to do and how to act in most respects. Let us remember what the Catechism teaches us: “While a human being is the minister of the sacrament, Christ Himself is the one who is at work: He baptizes, He confirms, He absolves, He changes the bread and wine into His Body and Blood, He unites a couple in marriage, He ordains, and He anoints. Acting in His sacraments, Christ communicates the grace…” (Catechism, #1127-28.) But even if the presider were extremely flawed as a person and as a presider, Jesus is still present in the proclaimed Word — in the readings at mass. So the lector is also important! She must be prepared as well. If the lector does not give life to the word of God. Even the priest should prepare the homily! Because this is an opportunity to discuss God’s message in the readings. Again, even if the lector is a dismal failure and the homily is lacklustre, Jesus is still present in communion! During consecration, the bread and wine become, by God’s love and mercy, the Body and Blood of Jesus that we may receive Him and become what we eat — become like Jesus. Never forget that Jesus is also present in mass through each one of you. You all carry Jesus in our hearts and make Him present to your seat-mate when you behave properly so everyone can worship, or when you participate actively so you contribute to the liveliness of the celebration! So it is not true that one does not get anything from the mass. We all encounter God in various forms during the celebration of the mass.
Don’t lose heart and change religions if you find it a bit difficult to appreciate the significance of the masses. Recall that even those disciples going to Emmaus, had a hard time recognising Jesus who was travelling with them. If they didn’t recognise Jesus who walked with them on the way, who talked to them, who listened to them and who shared a meal with them, how much more most of us who never had such a first-hand experience of the Risen Christ? It is God’s grace that opened their eyes, their minds and hearts. Last Sunday, Jesus makes a special effort to help His friend and apostle, Thomas, to believe that He is indeed resurrected and alive. Remember what Jesus tells him? “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” (John 20:29) We recognise that it is much harder for many of us to believe and witness to the resurrection of Jesus in our lives because there are no more living eyewitnesses from the time of Jesus’ resurrection. Hence, it is only in seeing through the eyes of faith that we are able to recognise and to truly encounter the Lord in our midst.
In each mass, we journey with Jesus just as the disciples journeyed with Him to Emmaus. Every mass is an opportunity for us to encounter Jesus so let us not be “foolish” and “slow to believe”. Today, I pray that God may also open our eyes, minds and hearts so we may recognise Him frequently and consistently in our masses. May we leave each celebration with our hearts also “burning within us” from a meaningful encounter with our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ! AMEN!
Sunday Gospel Reflections 