Make Our Hearts Burn

The Gospel for the Third Sunday of Easter (Luke 24:35-48) is a resurrection story. This means that the events took place after Jesus’ death and miraculous return. In Luke’s Gospel, it comes following the story of the disciples who were on their way to Emmaus. Jesus had made himself “known to them in the breaking of bread” and it made their hearts burn. They hurried back to Jerusalem to tell the others. While they were telling their story, Jesus stood among them and said “Peace be with you.” The disciples were shocked and then Jesus proceeded to show them his wounds. “Touch me and see” he said.

Touch and See

The images of breaking bread and offering peace are straight out of what we do in the Mass. We are invited to touch and see. But there is more to our Eucharist Celebration than touching and seeing. I think that we must truly believe in what we touch and see to the point that it makes our hearts burn. In this believing, we not only touch and see Jesus in the bread we share, but our hearts burn when we are open to the scriptures and to the peace Jesus gives us. 

Peace Be With You

In the Mass, we offer each other a sign of peace. Can we truly give peace to another person if we are not first at peace with ourselves? For me to be at peace with myself I have to be true to myself. I have to accept all of the qualities I have, including the ones that I do not like. 

Homework

I have to accept that I am not perfect and that I make mistakes. I must admit that I have faults and be aware of how I treat other people. This is the core of our Lenten practices but it should not stop at Easter. It should be an on-going process where we continually do the inner work of becoming more Christ like. Let him make your heart burn.