Do you recognize Jesus?

III Easter A Luke 24:13-35 That very day, the first day of the week, two of Jesus' disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. He asked them, "What are you discussing as you walk along?"They stopped, looking downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?" And he replied to them, "What sort of things?" They said to him, "The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see." And he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures. As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. But they urged him, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them. And it happened that, 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?" So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them who were saying, "The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!" Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of bread.

Can you see Jesus? They did not recognize Jesus. As Cleopas and the other disciple walked, Jesus appeared beside them, but they did not recognize that it was Jesus. Jesus began to speak, but they did not recognize his voice. Jesus opened the scriptures but they did not recognize Jesus in the word of God. Jesus began to interpret the scriptures, he began to preach, but they still didn't recognize that he was Jesus. When they finally arrived at Emmaus, they did not yet know that it was Jesus walking beside them. They invited Jesus in, not because they recognized Him, but only because they were kind. When Jesus broke the bread they opened their eyes and recognized that it was Jesus. When Jesus broke the bread, when Jesus celebrated the Eucharist with them, their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread. We may ask, why didn’t they recognize Jesus? It's interesting, isn't it? They had spent a lot of time together with Jesus, but they did not recognize him. But instead of wondering why they didn't recognize Jesus, I'd rather ask why did they eventually recognize Jesus, what is it that opened their eyes? The Eucharist! When Jesus broke the bread, when Jesus celebrated the Eucharist with them, their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus. This is good news for us Catholics Christians. Because what Jesus did in Emmaus we are going to do right now here in Torreón. We are going to break bread. I hope that as the eyes of Cleopas and the other disciple were opened that our eyes will also be openned. We know that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. As Jesus was present in Emmaus, he is present here. And we have the great blessing of the 7 sacraments. When we baptize a new Christian, Jesus is there. When we approach a priest to confess our sins, Jesus is there. When a couple vows to be faithful all their lives, it is Jesus who is uniting them. When someone received the anointing of the sick, it is Christ healing them. Those who are preparing to be confirmed on June 27 will know Christ in a very special way. And when I and the other priests were ordained, it was in the name of Christ Jesus. Yes, as Catholic Christians we are blessed because we have seven ways that our eyes are opened. 7 ways we can recognize Christ. But the story does not end there. When our eyes are open when celebrating the sacraments we can see Jesus in the Eucharist. But as St. Augustine said, if you see Jesus in the Eucharist you must see Jesus in others: in the community that is the body of Christ. If our eyes are open, wide open, we're going to see Christ in our families, in one’s spouse and children. You will see Christ in the poor man in the street. You're going to see Christ in the enemy, the person you're battling with. Not only will you see Christ in the other baptized, but we will be able to see Christ in everyone. And perhaps most difficult, if we believe that Christ is present in the Eucharist we have to see him in ourselves as well. It's good that we have this opportunity to break bread. How good that Christ is going to open our eyes. But the miracle doesn't end here, it just starts here. What happened after they recognized Christ? Did they stay there praying? Did they make a holy hour in front of the miracle of the bread that I was converted into the body of Christ? Of course not. It says that they immediately returned to Jerusalem and told how they saw Jesus breaking bread. For the church it is a call to evangelization, bringing the good news to everyone. So if we believe in the resurrection, if we believe that Jesus is present in the Eucharist, we have double work. We have the job of seeing Jesus in others and the job of bringing Jesus to others as well.