Stay with Us April 11

Wednesday in the Octave of Easter

By Melanie Rigney

“…While he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?’” (Luke 24:30-32)

When (a beggar crippled since birth) saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms…Peter said, ‘I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk.’ Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong.” (Acts 3:3-7)

Piety

Lord, grow within me the faith to trust in your presence in my life even when I cannot see or do not understand your work. Let your words burn within my heart, and let the flame never go out. Stay with me always.

Study

http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/041107.shtml

http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=1977

In today’s Gospel, Cleopas and another disciple are on the road to Emmaus. Jesus approaches them, “but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.” Jesus asks what they are discussing; downcast, they tell him of Christ’s crucifixion and say “we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel.” Then they mention the tomb was found empty. Jesus rebukes them for being “slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke.” They lap up his words, then believing he plans to go on, say, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” Then, at the table in Emmaus, when he breaks the bread, their eyes are opened, and he vanishes. “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” they say to each other, then return to Jerusalem where others tell them Jesus has appeared to Simon.

A 2005 Catholic Online article by Monsignor Charles M. Mangan keys in on the phrase “Stay with us.” “Three short words sum up the servants’ appeal to their master,” Monsignor Mangan writes. “‘Stay with us’ gives God ‘permission’ to remain in our lives through the invisible but nevertheless real principle of grace.’ …When Christ vanished before the eyes of the two disciples after the breaking of the Bread, Cleophas and his unnamed companion could have melted into lethargy. Their Master had left; they were seemingly by themselves. But instead of becoming passive, they quickly journeyed to tell the Eleven what had transpired. Although Jesus had temporality departed, his Presence remained.”

Jesus’ presence helped the apostles and other disciples perform amazing acts after he ascended. Today’s first reading gives such an example with a crippled beggar. Peter calls upon the man to rise and walk “in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean” and he does so, “walking and jumping and praising God.”

Action

In this the Octave of Easter, try a new volunteer activity that stretches you beyond your comfort zone; if you help at a food pantry, for example, assist a young person in crisis. If you counsel at a rape crisis center, consider volunteering with a jail ministry. Trust Jesus to stay with you as you grow.