"Nolite expavescere! Iesum quaeritis Nazarenum crucifixum. Surrexit, non est hic; ecce locus, ubi posuerunt eum. Sed ite, dicite discipulis eius et Petro: "Praecedit vos in Galilaeam. Ibi eum videbitis, sicut dixit vobis."The Solemnity of the Resurrection of the Lord
Epistle: Colossians 3. 1-4; Gospel: St. Luke 24, 13-35
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
We are led to the Easter Christ in the Eucharist by this beautiful and moving account of our Lord's appearance to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, in the gospel according to Saint Luke, chapter twenty-four, verses thirteen to thirty-five. Shattered as they were by His crucifixion and death, news of which had been passed throughout the cities and towns from Jerusalem, the disciples were in need of the greatest gift this side of heaven, to fill them again with hope, to give them undying faith in the Risen Lord. And so the Catechism leads our thoughts to the presence of the risen Lord whom we worship, adore, praise and receive in the Mass, the "Lord's Supper."
The Sacrament of the Eucharist is known by this and other titles, discussed in the Catechism.
The Lord's Supper, because of its connection with the supper which the Lord took with his disciples on the eve of his Passion and because it anticipates the wedding feast of the Lamb in the heavenly Jerusalem. (1Cor 11:20; Rev 19:9.) The Breaking of Bread because Jesus used this rite, part of a Jewish meal, when as master of the table he blessed and distributed the bread, (Mt 14:19; 15:36; Mk 8:6,19) above all at the Last Supper. (Mt 26:26; 1 Cor 11:24) It is by this action that his disciples will recognize him after his Resurrection, (Luke 24:13-35) and it is this expression that the first Christians will use to designate their Eucharistic assemblies; (Acts 2:42, 26; 20:7, 11) by doing so they signified that all who eat the one broken bread, Christ, enter into communion with him and form but one body in him.(1 Cor 10:16-17) The Eucharistic assembly (synaxis), because the Eucharist is celebrated amid the assembly of the faithful, the visible expression of the Church. (1 Cor 11: 17-34) The Eucharist is the Easter Sacrament. In the Eucharist we meet, know and possess God incarnate, our Lord Jesus Christ. (CCC 1329) He is truly risen. Alleluia! |
I look forward to meeting you here again next week, as, together, we "meet Christ in the liturgy" -Father Cusick (Publish with permission.)
(Publish with permission.)www.christusrex.org/www1/mcitl/
OremusDeus, qui hodiema die per Unigenitum tuum aeternitatis nobis editum devicta morte reserasti: vota nostra, quae praeveniendo aspiras, etiam adjuvando prosequere.
Per eundem...
(Art: The Resurrection of Christ, Peter Paul Rubens, 1611-12, Oil on panel, O.L. Vrouwenkathedraal, Antwerp.)
