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Gospel Reading for April 08, 2026 – Luke 24: 13-25
GREAT RELIEF
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 the bread.
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What a GREAT RELIEF it was to know that Jesus had conquered death. His death was not a defeat after all—He emerged victorious. Who among them could have imagined that this would happen? Even a weeping Mary Magdalene thought that someone had taken his body. Now, it became clear to them that he was truly the Messiah who had come to save humankind. There was no more room for doubt.
God’s ways are truly not our ways. At times, when we are overwhelmed by problems, we begin to lose hope. When we look at a turbulent world—where people can grow indifferent to violence, as echoed in Pope Leo’s Easter message—we may feel discouraged. But the moment we begin to think that God acts as we do, that is when defeat truly becomes defeat.
This is when we must strengthen our faith in God, so that we may never lose hope and may continue to do our part in making the world a place where God dwells.
Lord Jesus, may we always encounter you in the breaking of the bread at every Eucharistic celebration. May this encounter enrich our lives and the lives of those we meet each day.
