APRIL 30, 2017
7:30 AM, 9:00 AM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASSES
Born in 1903, Malcolm Muggeridge was a British media personality, journalist, author, and satirist. In his late 20s, he became enamored with Communism; but later, his direct observations of life in the Soviet Union led to his eventual disillusionment with it.
During the Second World War, he served in various security and intelligence positions in India, northern Africa, and France. After the war, he edited and wrote satire, challenging the opinions of the day with a profound and cutting wit.
He spent most of his life as an atheist, but in 1969, he became a Christian.
While filming a series of BBC documentaries on the New Testament, he found himself walking along the road leading to the town of Emmaus. In an interview about his conversion, he said:
I understood, in a particularly vivid and personal way, that there is someone else, a third man, who will join one and help one along the way. On his own, no human being can hope to overcome the wickedness and selfishness inherent in his nature. It's absolutely impossible. Yet Christians have been able to do this because there is this help available. I know that this help is available; I know I can call on it myself.He is credited with introducing Mother Theresa of Calcutta to the West; and through her influence, both he and his wife became Catholic in 1982.
He died in 1990, having authored more than 20 books and having published 7 sermons.
Today is the Third Sunday of Easter.
In today’s Gospel, we hear the original Emmaus Road account as recorded in the 24th Chapter of St. Luke.
After several hours of walking along, where despite His explanation of Scripture and prophesy about Himself, the two travelers fail to recognize Jesus. Recognizing Him late in the day … “in the breaking of bread.”
In this text, St. Luke records this moment, when Jesus was “with them at table, [and] he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them.”
These four words are repeated in each and every Eucharistic Prayer used in the Sacred Liturgy of the Mass … taken, blessed, broken, given. In an anagogical sense, we can apply these words to ourselves to perhaps better understand our relationship with Christ.
In this sense, we can be said to have been taken by God – chosen – not as bread, but as members of His Body, the Church.
We, too, are blessed – in Latin, benedic … literally “spoken well of.” And in Christ, despite our sinful nature, we are called to live in the family of God as brothers and sisters of Jesus.
In our human nature, we are broken – yet through Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross, He restores humanity to it’s original dignity and draws us together to Himself … unites us in Himself … as members of Christ … disciples and apostles.
And finally, as the Eucharist is given – a gratuitous and free gift of God’s grace – we are called to give of ourselves to each other … in freedom … though, with, and in Christ Jesus, Our Lord.
As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ – let us become more and more aware of Him in our lives – the Third Person Who joins us … and helps us … along our way. May we receive this saving and abundant grace – today – in our lives and in our hearts. That we might overcome the weaknesses inherent in our human nature, and receive the transforming graces of Christ provided to us as we share in His divine nature through our participation in the Life of the Trinity … Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
And then, with hearts burning for Christ, let us go forth from this place to spread the Good News – that Christ is alive! Indeed, He is risen as He said!
