HOMILY FOR THE 3RD SUNDAY OF EASTER YEAR A.

Acts 2:14, 22-23; Psalm 15:1-2, 5, 7-11; 1 Peter 1:17-21, Luke 24:13-35.

“A LONG WALK TO EMMAUS!”

By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide.

·      Today we celebrate the third Sunday of Easter. These are indeed uncertain times. We need a good dose of hope and courage in the word and promises of God. There is nothing that makes our hope and joy possible beyond the Easter experience. The Easter experience assures us that since Christ died and rose again, then we have a sure hope for an afterlife despite all odds.

·      We are reflecting on the theme “A long walk to Emmaus”. On hearing the theme for our reflection this Sunday, what readily comes to the mind of many is the popular book written by Nelson Mandela titled “Long Walk to Freedom”. In the book, he documented his ordeal in fighting for the liberation and integration of all South Africans. But today we are not reflecting on that book but on the word of God.

·      While the news that Christ died and is now risen from the dead filled many with Joy and courage, some others were devastated and decided to return to normal life – return to their former ways. They were unsure if that news is anything to go by.

·      This is the story of the two disciples on their way to Emmaus in the gospel reading. Their names were not given which means that it could be any of us. For them, Jesus had disappointed them by dying in the way he did, since he is now buried, and his body probably stolen with conflicting reports. Therefore the religious empire they thought they will build around the name Jesus has crumbled.

·      Hence, these disciples not wanting to completely lose out, decided to return to their former way of life in Emmaus after all the former way is still tempting and attractive. Though a long distance away, they were prepared to go through it rather than remain in uncertainty.

·      Dearly beloved in Christ, throughout the season of Lent we journeyed with Jesus for 40 days from Emmaus, from our various wildernesses of sin to a life of grace and righteousness through our various Lenten disciplines and observances.

·      We too, may not be different from these two disciples, who are disappointed that Jesus had to die and may have since reached our own various Emmaus. Lent and Easter have come and gone therefore we must return to business as usual – a life of sin and recklessness.

·      Today, Jesus comes to join us on our Journey to prevent us from returning to sin but to continue to dwell in Jerusalem which represents a life of grace and holiness. Hence, he makes himself known to us in the breaking of bread. Today also at this mass he will be broken and received by you, let that be an important moment of a complete turnaround for you just like the two disciples.

·      In the first reading (Acts 2:14. 22-33), we see that while the other disciples were running away, Peter stayed back in Jerusalem to continue to witness the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

·      This is exactly the courage that is expected of every good Christian who has passed through the rigour of the Lenten discipline and now basking in the Easter Joy that Christ is risen.

·       If Jesus died and rose again, then we have a sure hope that even if we die while witnessing a life of grace, he will surely raise us. But unfortunately, many of us have since returned to Emmaus, abandoning all we imbibed during the Lenten season. Today, the Lord invites us to self-realisation and for us not to make a mockery of his sacrificial death on the cross.

·       For many who have returned to a normal life of sin while waiting for the next Lenten season to “repent”, Jesus invites you today that it is not too late to decide to return to grace because the second reading (1 Peter 1:17-21), clearly tells us that God has no favourites and judges everyone according to his deeds, it means that if we repent, he will surely forgive and accept us back. 

·       In that same reading, St. Peter warns us that we “must be scrupulously careful as long as you are living away from your home” (1 Peter 1:17). It simply means that we must be very careful while living here in this world because it is not our home, our home is in heaven. Therefore, we must flee from temptations, shun vices, and embrace virtue.

·       When we are tempted to sin, when we are tempted to abandon the way of God, we must remember that Jesus paid the ultimate price that you and I may be freed from the claws of sin and death.

·       Today, the Lord challenges us all to return home irrespective of how far we have wandered away from him and his commandments, he is ever ready to receive us and to welcome us. There are no sins too great that He cannot forgive, so we must come back to Him.

·       Dear friends in Christ, when we decide to return to obeying the commandments of God and witnessing the power of the resurrection, that does not immune us from occasional temptations to derail from the right path. Like the Psalmist, we must constantly say to God “Show us, Lord, the path of life” (Ps. 16:11).

·       May the good Lord bless his word in our hearts through Christ our Lord, Amen!

·       Happy Sunday!!!