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Homily file for April 23, 2023 - 3rd Sunday Easter (Year A) Luke 24:13-35, Road to Emmaus
[_01__] When I was ten (10) years old, and a few weeks before I was to start 5th grade – G -5 – my mother held a press conference in the living room to announce to my brothers and me that we were going to a new elementary school, to leave the public school in our neighborhood and go to the Catholic school across town.
As a future priest,
you would think it would have been joyful and glad, but I was not. Change was
bad.
[_02__] At age 10, in a
relatively short span of time, I experienced a range of emotions from FEAR à ANGER à DISGUST à SADNESS.
If I had known
about the official “stages of grief”, I would not have been interested because I could not “bargain”
my way out of this.
[_03__] I bring this up
because there is a great change happening to the 2 disciples on the road to
Emmaus (Luke 24)
They also do not
like change. Their world has been turned upside down by the death of Jesus of
whom they expected great things. “He was mighty in word and deed.”
Now, due to a
mysterious plan of God which they did not comprehend, Jesus had been put to
death.
And, now they are
experiencing a range and ricochet of emotions – fear – anger – disgust –
sadness. When Jesus Himself appears – to them – as random bystander and asks,
“what were you talking about as you walked along”, they respond in distress,
“are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know what just happened?”
(Luke 24)
For example, to
one’s wife or husband, one might say “Don’t you know… don’t you get it…”
Or to one’s inner
circle including your neighbors, friends, siblings, children ….adult children,
co-workers, a boss … “Don’t you know… don’t you get it…”
Perhaps you were
trespassed against or wronged, or you feel
you were. At times, in true
justice, we have to state – in a loving way – what we are feeling. Because you and I do have a right to our
private thoughts – but sometimes we also have to express them and also to PRAY
OVER THEM and through them, and bring them to our Lord who wants to enter into
your pain – sadness – fear – anger – disgust – and did so by taking up his
cross and dying for you and me.
Jesus is your
personal savior who wants you to talk to him. He is not a fortune-teller or
mindreader.
[_06__] In the meanwhile, don’t we have all of our competing
emotions and feelings?
In 2015 there was a
popular movie by Pixar Studios called “Inside Out”. This was totally fictional
but “Inside Out” has also been very positively received by both psychologists and
church/religious scholars as an accurate and family-friendly look at our
emotions and their meaning.
The movie reminded
me of my 10-year old self, because the main character – named Riley – is a 10
year old girl who is told by her parents that the family has to move – for
professional/career reasons from the Midwest in Minnesota to the West Coast in
California.
The movie is not
just about the people as “characters” but each emotion is a different
character. Joy is a bright yellow
sunshine character. Sadness is a blue
character. And, “Joy” is used to being
the emotion in charge but now – due the move to California – has to contend with
other emotions of fear, anger, disgust, sadness.
Every emotion in
our lives has a place. There is no such thing as a life without feelings of
sadness or fear or anger. Yes, these emotions can get us into trouble. They
have gotten me into trouble.
We can – at times –
in fear or sadness – lose ourselves to love in all the wrong places, or to
feelings of being devalued or diminished.
Or we may pursue
pleasures or entertainment or even information (gossip, anyone?) which are
wrong.
In prayer and
repentance, we are called not to ask God to eliminate this emotions but rather
to heal our injuries, and brokenness and to bring to the Lord what is
troubling us.
This was expressed
by the 2 troubled travelers on the road. They did not fully recognize Jesus but
still were able to say and pray, “Stay with us for it is nearly evening and the
day is almost over.” (Luke 24:29)
But, I am also
aware of my inclination toward over-evaluation or getting into “analysis
paralysis” before making a decision.
No one is going to
send me to an unfamiliar uniform store 10 days before Labor Day to put on itchy
polyester!
I must admit that
some things in life have worked out well for me, even when I could not – or
especially when I could not – evaluate all the options first.
This is also the
virtue of obedience to which we are all called. “Obedience” is not just about a
Sister of Charity going where the
provincial sends her…or a priest going to a new parish by the Archbishop. Yes,
these are examples.
But, all of us are
called to obey the Commandments which guide and are guardrails for us in
purity, integrity, honor, respect… it’s not jus about not stealing…but also
about finding creative ways to be honest !
Regarding obedience
as a priest, on the night before my ordination, I was told I would be coming to
Our Lady of Lourdes. I never had a chance to run a background check on you. You
guys turned out to be all right!
[_08__] Even the seminary where I studied also turned to be a
blessing for me in terms of both study and prayer. But, I vacillated about it
for a while. When I was still in the trial or “let’s try on this uniform”
phase, I was required to go for an interview with the Rector/Dean of Immaculate
Conception Seminary and theology school at Seton Hall U. I had never met him,
hardly knew his name.
But something about
my 10-year old experience came roaring back.
I don’t like
change. I was surprised to know his last name was “Coleman” because at age 10,
“Coleman School” was the school I had left so suddenly. A minor coincidence? Was
I going back?
The Emmaus Gospel reminds us that Jesus is back. Following him we can find where we belong. In times of sadness, can we not recognize our need for love of God and neighbor. God loves you. We all need God’s grace and help and we can say in darkness together, to ask for Christ’s help: “Stay with us for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” (Luke 24:29) [_END__]
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