I wish everyone could hear the Gospel for the Wednesday after Easter (Lk 24: 13-35) preached on one of our Sundays after Easter. It is the Gospel about two disciples — we don’t know their names — who are walking toward a village called Emmaus. They are downcast because of what had happened to Jesus. A stranger falls in with them on the road and, hearing of their sadness, says, “Was it not necessary that Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” Of course the stranger was the risen Christ, and what he said to those disciples is also meant for us. Persons touched by God and called to be holy will walk through suffering to reach “glory,” their destiny of being transformed by God. The cross is “the Way” or road to completion of our earthly journey toward union with God which Jesus himself walked. The two disciples experienced resurrection that day as they listened to the stranger and then recognized him in the breaking of the bread. We also need to experience resurrection, now and not just at the end of our lives. We need recurrently to be pulled out of the fatigue and inertia and dejection and despair that suffering brings us into joy and hope. The Risen Christ is that fellow pilgrim walking with us, encouraging us as he did those Emmaus disciples, sharing our troubles, reassuring us, showing us the possibilities of newness and hope. He meets us on our road and greets us as he did in the resurrection stories: Peace be with you.
— Blog entry by Sister Mary Garascia