6 April 2008

I have expected... Do I have to run away?

P. Jacek Dembek, CSsRReading this part of the Gospel about the road to Emmaus (Lk 24:13-35), I am not the only one thinking: how blind the disciples were, how foolish they were, how stupid they were... Because Jesus had been teaching them, explaining the Scripture, saying them more times that he would have to suffer, to die, and then that he would be risen... Despite all that, the disciples are able to say only: "We expected, we were hoping...," and they run away.

 

On the other hand, I am not the only one who has to admit that we very often do the same as the disciples did. We say: I have expected... And then we run away.

A man can say: I have expected her to be the greatest love of my life... But, after five years I see she is not... I have to run away...

Another of us can say: Well, I have been praying day and night, I have asked God so many times to hear me, I have expected Him to hear me, but He did not. God does not care of me. Maybe He does not exist at all... I have to run away...

We run away from our motherland, because... I have expected that after the fall of communism everything would be great, that everyone would be happy, that no one would have problems. But, after twenty years it is not so as I have expected... I have to run away... How sad it is when so many young people are leaving their country as for example the young Polish people.

The part of the Gospel according to Luke we have read says us how to face the difficulties in our life.

Firstly, Jesus is explaining to the disciples the Scripture. We have to listen to the Word of God to learn to know God, our Father.

Secondly, the disciples recognized Jesus when he took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, he began giving it to them. Jesus is present in the Eucharist. He Himself is the Bread. The Bread which strengthen us to be able to forgive, to love, to be faithful to the person we have chosen for the whole life. The Bread strengthens us to be able to trust God that what He is doing, is good for us. You would never give to your small child a knife although he/she wants it very much, because you know the child would get injured. The same God does. He is definitely wiser than us. He does not give us something He knows is not good for us, although we insist so much.

Thirdly, the Eucharist strengthens us to stay in our country in spite of difficulties we have to face.

Without Jesus we cannot forgive, we cannot love, we cannot believe in God, we cannot trust Him, we cannot face problems.

Nevertheless, reading the Scripture and accepting sacraments are not enough to be a true Christian. Like the disciples who got up immediately, turned back to Jerusalem, and testified that Jesus was alive, we have to do the same. You might think: Yes, but that is a job for priests. - No, it is not! Also, and especially, the laypersons have to bring the testimony to the world. And how does such a testimony look like? It is our smile we give to a friend, to a relative, to a neighbour who is sad. It is our 5-minute-time we spend with a person who no one has paid attention for ages to. It is our hand stretched to someone who needs help.

This resurrection, this meeting on our own road to our own Emmaus, is for everyone of us. Jesus, who was killed, is alive, and lives for us and with us. You can hear His word. You can strengthen yourself with His Body. And, finally, you can be His presence in the world. And then you will experience that He is here, with you, and everything will be different.

Fr Jacek Dembek, C.Ss.R., General Consultor of the Redemptorists

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