Wednesday within the Octave of Easter
(Acts 3:1-10; Lucas 24:13-35)
Twenty-five years ago Christians everywhere marveled at
the parable, “Footprints in the Sand.” The
tale tells of a dream which a person has about her life. It says that the dreamer sees two sets of
footprints along most of her life’s trajectory.
She surmises that one set is hers and the other belongs to the Lord whom
she has always held as a friend. At a
point of crisis, however, she sees only one set of footprints and worries that
the Lord abandoned her in need. When she
asks him why, she learns that he had not abandoned her but had carried her
through the trial. Today’s gospel provides
the model for that famous parable.
Two travelers from Jerusalem are bereft with the death
and rumored resurrection of Jesus. Along
the road they meet a stranger who elucidates all that is troubling them. His explanation of the Scriptures makes their
hearts burn with love of God. In a meal
at the day’s end they recognize their interlocutor as none other than their
risen Lord.
The gospel story helps us appreciate the presence of
Christ in both word and sacrament at mass.
We may also understand it as indicating that he accompanies us along the
journey of life. As youth, we find him
teaching us to play fairly and to work hard to succeed. In middle age, we meet
Jesus forgiving our excesses and strengthening us to carry out his Father’s will. At life’s end we recognize him as the thread
that has held our life together and the hope of an ever more abundant life to
come.
