Welcome Stranger

 The Road to Emmaus story led me to think about encounters.  Luke 24: 13-35  The couple on the road had to be open to the stranger that joined them and their interesting conversation.  Did you ever think of that?  If they shut up and looked at the stranger who joined up with them with askance, that would be a shame.  They never would have encountered Jesus.  You never know what event or what person will open you up to a divine revelation.  

But Jesus is BIG!

My grandchildren and I made a diorama on the story of the Road to Emmaus.  Here is the picture.  The two people traveling are together.  Jesus is alone on the right. The girls understood and liked the story but they objected to two things.  The first was that Jesus was smaller than the other two figures.  They couldn't get over the fact that Jesus wasn't the biggest man in the story.  The other issue was that Jesus just disappeared after breaking of the bread.  "How rude!"

Yes, It is True

 Yesterday's Easter homily told the story of the couple walking to Emmaus.  The homilist said we are the people walking that road, too.  Today, I am still thinking of this.  

How many times has a stranger brought me closer to Christ?

We must be open to the stranger so that we can continue to meet Christ.  The story of Emmaus offers us a direction and remember that the couple was heading to Emmaus but after meeting Jesus they turned around and went back to Jerusalem. We have to be open to changes, too.

And we must continue to read the Bible and receive the Eucharist so that our hearts will burn and hearts will be opened.  Then we too will proclaim, "It is true, the Lord has risen!  Truly He has risen!"

Art thou the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened...?

This morning I was reading Dominican Daily, specifically Br. Raymund Synder, O.P., Smoke and Frescoes: the Papal Buzzand , and I was provoked to scream.

It is a pet peeve of mine  that people who are selfish, self-centered, self absorbed, self-interested, self-involved, and egocentric boors, absolve their boorish behavior in smug self-righteous, holier than thou justification.  The article, Smoke and Frescoes: the Papal Buzz, is the perfect example.

Br. Raymund waxes poetic how admirable it is to remain above the fray.

"B" as in B___, and "S" as in S___.

Your neighbor needs you, and you are unaware.  How will you know this and call for help, unless you look out the window and see smoke coming out of his house?
A natural disaster has occurred in your country.  How will you be able to go help, unless you watch TV, listen to the radio, read media reports?
A far-off country is at war and needs prayers and money.  How will you be able to respond, unless you are alert to what's happening in the world?
The Jews are being slaughtered in concentration camps.  How can you demand for something to be done, unless you listen and see?
A man has been assaulted and thrown in a ditch?  How can a Samaritan respond, unless he is alert to his surroundings?
Sede Vacante.  How do you pray for the judicious discernment of the cardinal electors, unless you pay attention to the media?

Art thou the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?  (Luke 24: 18-19)

Where have you been?  Have you been on a toot for the past three days?  Were you in a coma?  Didn't you notice how dark it became, three days ago; the sun darkened and the curtain of the temple was torn down the middle?  How could you not know?

Jesus, the Christ was crucified, and according to scriptures rose after three days, proving that He is the long awaited Messiah and atoning for mankind's sins and breaking the bonds of Satan and...

How could you not know?  Oh, I see.  You practice custody of the eyes.  You don't want to commit the sin of curiositas.

I think it is better to err on the side of curiosity than pharisaic excuses. I think God prefers the spirit rather than the words.  I mean, stay alert to what's happening.  You don't have to live for it, but pay attention.  Don't be LAZY and justify your apathetic behavior by cloaking it in attributions of religious beatitudes.

I am reminded of a joke a religious Sister once told me.  She told of a Sister who was looking at the newspapers spread out on the table and inquired;

"Who is this poor unfortunate woman, Pearl Harbor, that was attacked?"

Photo above shared under a creative commons license