Third Sunday of Easter – Year B

Jesus and the two disciples of Emmaus

 

From the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Luke

At that time, the disciples returning from Emmaus were telling the eleven apostles and their companions what had happened on the road and how the Lord had manifested himself to them in the breaking of the bread. While they were still talking, the Lord himself appeared in their midst and said to them: « Peace be with you ! Frightened and afraid, they thought they saw a spirit. Jesus said to them: « Why are you so disturbed ? And why do these thoughts arise in your hearts ? Look at my hands and my feet: it is really me ! Touch me, look at me: a spirit has no flesh and bones as you see that I have ».

After saying this, he showed them his hands and feet. They rejoiced, but still did not dare to believe and were astonished. Jesus said to them, « Have you anything to eat here ? They offered him a piece of grilled fish, which he took and ate in front of them. Then he said to them : « These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you. All that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled » . Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

He said to them : « It is written that Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that in his name conversion for the forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.«  The understanding interest that Jesus showed them won the trust of the two travellers. His questions invited them to open their hearts (Lk 18, 40 ; Jn 5, 6 ; Jn 20, :15). He was not only powerful in words, but also and above all in deeds, through the acts of love that filled his life.

And he was so not only in the esteem of all the people, but also before God, who bore witness to him. In addition to all these causes of sadness, there is another circumstance to mention, on the significance of which they hesitated to pronounce and which added to their confusion. They did not cite this testimony of the women as a reason for hope, which they confidently contrasted with the painful facts they cited. Even though the disciples who visited the tomb found it just as the women had said !

Jesus, for his part, after letting them recount all their sorrows, rebuked them :  » Fools ! First of all, he accused them of not having the ability to understand the promises that God had made through the prophets (Gal 3, 1). Man could only be saved through suffering and death. God’s eternal love, which wanted man’s salvation, also wanted the Saviour’s immense dedication, which was indispensable for the fulfilment of that salvation.HeAs the disciples understood the scriptures, they felt that the darkness of their He hearts gave way to light, that their doubts gave way to confidence and that, even before they recognised Jesus, they belonged to him completely. This is what Jesus did to their minds, instead of suddenly offering himself to them. To test the disciples, Jesus kept walking and would certainly have continued on his way had they not urged him to stay with them.

He wanted this new grace to depend on them

Back in Jerusalem, before the disciples of Emmaus could even speak, they were greeted by a shout of joy : « The Lord is risen indeed ! The disciples gave as proof an apparition of Jesus to Simon Peter. The appearance of Jesus to Peter was a proof of his mercy towards the one who, embittered, felt the need to see Jesus again and to obtain his forgiveness (Mk 16, 7). While the disciples of Emmaus were telling their story, Jesus appeared with this greeting: ‘Peace be with you’. To calm their fear, he showed them his feet and hands and invited them to touch him. Then, to convince them completely, he ate with them.

He reminded them that he had told them that all prophecies would be fulfilled about him. He opened their minds to understand the scriptures. They foretold his suffering and resurrection and the preaching of the gospel among all nations. Jesus made the disciples his witnesses, promised them the Holy Spirit and commanded them to wait in Jerusalem for the fulfilment of this promise. The mention of the feet implies that not only the hands but also the feet of Jesus were nailed to the cross.

This passage from Luke leaves little room for doubt. The joy the disciples felt at seeing Jesus, after sadness and fear, kept them in a state of confusion that prevented them from believing. To give them further proof, Jesus asked for something to eat. Jesus reminded them of the many predictions he had made to them before his death and resurrection (Lk 9:22; Lk 22:37) . Jesus no longer considered himself with his disciples; his former relationship with them had been replaced by a spiritual communion.

Jesus appealed one last time to the authority of the Scriptures, to make the disciples understand the divine necessity of all that had happened to him and to reveal to them the future of his kingdom and the vocation they were to fulfil in it. In his name, they were to preach repentance and repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Deacon Michel Houyoux

Links to other Christian sites

The Catholic Leader : click here to read the paper →Meeting Jesus on the road to Emmaus – The Catholic Leader

Benedictine Abbay of Christ → Third Sunday of Easter, Year B – Benedictine Abbey of Christ in the desert …

Video David Helling : click here → https://youtu.be/07GCSW1CQUg?t=6

Samedi de la deuxième semaine du Temps Pascal – Année B

# Pour Origène, la barque représente nos vies confrontées aux vents et aux flots tumultueux imposés par le Mal. Le Christ veut que tous tiennent bien le cap des vertus ; et lorsque ils se trouvent en danger, Jésus vient les sauver en leur apportant deux de ses symboles : la foi et la lumière. Pour le théologien dans son commentaire, tout comme pour un autre miracle intitulé la Pièce dans la bouche d’un poisson, saint Pierre est mis en avant car il sera le successeur du Christ.

Le père Joseph-Marie Verlinde dit que les disciples avec leur barque s’enfoncèrent dans la nuit, qui est le symbole des problèmes que l’Église aura à traverser mais aussi les difficultés de nos vies personnelles. Pour ce prédicateur, Jésus n’a pas peur de marcher dans les tempêtes de nos vies. Cette apparition sur l’eau est le symbole de sa résurrection, de son retour parmi les vivants. La multiplication des pains et la marche sur l’eau nous invite à découvrir au cœur du Pain partagé, la présence mystérieuse de celui qui se révèle en marchant sur les eaux. La lumière de l’Esprit, qui luit dans les ténèbres de notre ignorance, éclaire la divinité de celui qui est le Pain de Vie descendu du ciel.

De l’Évangile de Jésus Christ selon Jean

Le soir venu, les disciples de Jésus descendirent jusqu’à la mer. Ils s’embarquèrent pour gagner Capharnaüm, sur l’autre rive. C’était déjà les ténèbres, et Jésus n’avait pas encore rejoint les disciples. Un grand vent soufflait, et la mer était agitée. Les disciples avaient ramé sur une distance de vingt-cinq ou trente stades (c’est-à-dire environ cinq mille mètres), lorsqu’ils virent Jésus qui marchait sur la mer et se rapprochait de la barque. Alors, ils furent saisis de peur. Mais il leur dit : « C’est moi. N’ayez plus peur. » Les disciples voulaient le prendre dans la barque ; aussitôt, la barque toucha terre là où ils se rendaient. (Jn 6, 16-21)

Jésus marche sur la mer

Les disciples descendirent vers la mer : cette expression n’oblige pas à admettre que la multiplication eut lieu sur la montagne, mais sur quelque plateau entre celle-ci et le lac. D’après les synoptiques, c’est Jésus lui-même qui donna à ses disciples l’ordre de se rembarquer et de repasser le lac. Il leur répugnait à tel point de le faire, que Jésus les contraignit de partir. Le récit de Jean nous explique d’où provenait cette répugnance et ce qui obligea Jésus à user d’autorité : il s’agissait de les soustraire à l’entraînement du faux enthousiasme qui venait de se manifester.

L’interprète Monsieur Weiss pensa que les disciples attendirent pour exécuter l’ordre de Jésus que le soir fût venu qu’il faisait même déjà obscur et que Jésus ne les avait pas encore rejoints, quand ils se décidèrent enfin à s’embarquer. La tempête qui surprit les disciples dut singulièrement augmenter leurs regrets d’être séparés de Jésus. Ils luttèrent contre le vent et les flots une grande partie de la nuit (Mt 14, 24), sans avoir parcouru plus de vingt-cinq à trente stades ; c’est-à-dire qu’ils étaient à peu près au milieu du lac (Mt 14, 24), qui en avait quarante de largeur (7,399 kilomètres). Ce détail précis trahit le témoin oculaire.

Tout à coup les disciples virent Jésus marchant sur la mer et s’approchant de leur barque. Ne je reconnaissant pas d’abord, ils lr prirent pour un fantôme (Mt 14, 26), ils eurent peur. Jésus se fit reconnaître par la voix et par cette douce parole que les quatre évangélistes consignèrent dans leurs récits, tellement elle avait fait impression sur les témoins de la scène.

Diacre Michel Houyoux

Prédications.eu : cliquez ici pour lire l’article → Samedi de la 2 e semaine, année paire

Au large biblique : cliquez ici pour lire l’article →  La marche sur la mer (Jn 6,16-23)

Vidéo Oratoire du Louvres →  https://youtu.be/ajhWg16eRuw