Jesus tells His disciples that the sheep recognize the voice of the shepherd, that they run away from strangers. Even today, during the season of Easter there is a buzz in the sheepfold, a barely contained excitement: the Shepherd walks among us. We can feel Him as He draws near, gathering the children for their First Communion and clearing a way for them to the table. We can hear His gentle murmuring as He speaks to each of us, calling us by our name. Sometimes we feel so clumsy, struggling to carry out His wishes, falling prey to daily inconveniences and frustrations. But He comforts us with a touch, a word, a smile.
The disciples are seeking Jesus; they know he appeared to others, they seek to meet him themselves. The Gospel reminds us we must never tire in seeking the Lord.
Jesus walks on the road next to us: even if we do not always see him, we can feel his presence: in the peace, we sense in our heart, in the knowledge that He loves us, that He cares for us.
Today’s Gospel invites us to reflect on our life as a journey. Like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, we may be running away from something that seems too heavy to bear: grief, disappointments, fears, tragedies like the Nova Scotia massacre, everything surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
On this octave of Easter, the Gospel reveals to us a saving encounter. Peter and John have seen the empty tomb. Mary Magdalene has seen the Lord, and runs to tell the good news to the other disciples. You would think they would be out celebrating. But they are not. Afraid of the same authorities who had put their Lord and Teacher to death, they are in lockdown: hiding behind locked doors, afraid to let anyone in.
“If you have been raised up to new life in Christ, you must seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at God’s right hand. Set your minds on what is of God, for you have died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God, sharing in his glory.”
St. Monica's Parish