One of the more familiar gospel accounts during the Easter season is the disciples along the road to Emmaus. We are told that two disciples are walking along the road dejected and disillusioned. They had hoped that Jesus, the great prophet, would be the one to redeem Israel ; however, he failed because he had been crucified.On the road they encounter the risen Lord and yet they do not recognize him. The risen Lord is able to see their disillusionment and begins to open up for them the sacred scriptures. Jesus explains that the Messiah had to suffer and die in order to redeem the world; his crucifixion was not defeat but a source of victory.
When they reach the town, the disciples invite Jesus to stay with them for a meal and when the bread is broken they recognize Jesus and he vanishes from their sight. The disciples acknowledge that their hearts were burning as they listened to the Lord on the road and their eyes were opened to his true presence in the breaking of the bread. They now return to Jerusalem filled with joy as they shared the good news that Jesus indeed had risen from the dead and that they had recognized him in the breaking of the bread.
What about our love for God? Is our love for God as evident as our love for our neighbor?
Sacred scripture tells us that we can show our love for God by loving others and by keeping God's commandments. Love of God becomes the motive for our actions, the source of inspiration for everything that we do in life. So it is my love for God that compels me to love my neighbor and to work for social justice. It is because of that same love that I follow the teachings of Jesus and the Church. This is an important distinction as even atheists or humanists help other people and show love for their neighbor. What sets us apart is our love for God.
When we consider the lives of the saints, one thing that is common to all is a profound love of God. It was this love that motivated, inspired and encouraged them in their lives. As Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta stated, "…we cannot do great things on the earth, only small things with great love."
St. Augustine was a man who did not always love God. In his autobiographical work Confessions , he speaks about his conversion to God. "Late have I loved you, O beauty ever ancient ever new, late have I loved you…you called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace."
We see in this beautiful passage how our love for God is a response to God's merciful love for us. Beauty ever ancient and ever new reaches out to us.
Ultimately we love God because God loved us first. As we know, God loved us so much that he sent us his only Son. With great love Jesus gave his life for us on the cross and redeemed the world. By his rising he restored life to the world. God is not distant but very near because God loves us.
We see this in the many beautiful feasts we celebrate in the month of June. The Feasts of the Ascension and Pentecost remind us that God has ascended to the Father but has not left us orphans. With the gift of the Holy Spirit God is with us until the end of the ages. Trinity Sunday teaches us that God is a community of divine persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This community is love and we are invited to enter this mystery through the celebration of the seven sacraments. The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ ( Corpus Christi ) is a powerful sign of God's love for us as we receive the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in Holy Communion.
It is my hope and prayer that as we contemplate God's great love for us we will all grow in our love for God and neighbor. I believe that this will become the motivation to do "many small things with great love" in the Diocese of St. Catharines.
May God bless you and grant you a safe and restful summer.