Homily – Octave of Easter - Wednesday

The readings for Mass on this Wednesday within the Octave of Easter are particularly beautiful. They speak of what happened at two specific hours of the day: the three o'clock hour of prayer; and late afternoon, just before evening. I should like to add another hour: when day is done!

At the three o'clock hour Peter and John encountered a crippled man seeking an alms. They told the man: Look at us! We do not have silver and gold – we have something infinitely better: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean rise and walk. And he did rise and he did walk. In fact he leaped up, walked jumped around and went into the temple with Peter and John to praise God. At any hour of the day the name of Jesus can do amazing things for those who believe that it can. The results may be quick or slow, but they will always happen sooner or later! All it takes is faith: the certain knowledge about realities beyond mere human reason!

The next scene, of the gospel passage, is one of my favorites: it is late afternoon (somewhere around 4pm) on Easter Sunday afternoon. The interchange between the two disciples and Jesus on the road to Emmaus - and what follows - is all about the great awakening of faith, the great feeding of thirsty souls, and the great strengthening for charitable action – it is all about the structuring of the celebration of the Mass as we have it today.

There is first the "Liturgy of the Word" – when Jesus walks and talks with the weary, confused and frightened disciples (not Apostles, just followers). They told him (not knowing he was Jesus) about what had happened to Jesus last week – how their friend, whom they had listened to and began to believe in – was killed by their own people, buried and supposedly was to rise again – but thus far they had seen no evidence of such a miraculous event.

Jesus then began to explain the scriptures that applied to his life, death and resurrection – and they listened and their hearts burned with fervor and the fire of the Holy Spirit. Their minds were being illuminated, their hearts were being moved, and their feet were moved to invite Jesus to stay with them as evening drew on – for a short meal in their house.

Now we transition to the "Liturgy of the Eucharist of the Mass." It was there that Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread and gave it to them to eat – and they ate, whereupon he simply vanished from their sight. In his glorified risen state Jesus could do that: materialize and then disappear. Risen state is truly marvelous!

Then the two said to each other "Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?" Then strengthened by the spiritual food of the very first Eucharistic celebration (Mass) after the Last Supper that was presided over by Jesus himself: they went and told the Eleven what had happened; and how they had come to know him in the breaking of the bread.

When we come here to worship God, and to celebrate Eucharist (Mass) we come to let our hearts be fired up by God's word in Scripture and homily (we walk with and listen to Jesus); then we are fed with the same Eucharistic food that faithful Christians have been fed for two thousand years - (we go into the house to eat with him) - to so be motivated to go out and love and serve as Jesus himself did – completely self-sacrificially. It is in so doing that our hearts will burn, our spirits will be fed and we will have what we need to do what we need to do when we need to do it for others.

This leads to the final hour of prayer that I want to talk about today – Night Prayer of our day! After living a long and complete day as a real Christ-centered, Spirit-filled, service-oriented Catholic person – it is so soothing and relaxing and calming to spend some time in quiet, reflective, meditative Night Prayer of praise and thanks to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for all they have given that very day! Using meditative music, prayers, or just silence in a quiet place – we can get into the habit of consistent, regular and powerful Night Prayer. It is a great preparation for sleep. It is the most appropriate way to end every day!

As we proclaimed on Easter Sunday: this is the day the Lord has made; this and every day; let us be glad and rejoice in it!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!