Today’s Gospel centers on the disciples gathered in a locked room to hear the experience of the two disciples who met Jesus on their journey to Emmaus.  Jesus wanted to know how these disciples made sense of his death and resurrection. I am sure that Jesus was amazed at what they were saying to him. It was in the sharing of a meal that they recognized that it was Jesus present with them.

In the bread blessed, broken and, shared, Jesus unites himself with us. Today, as we continue our celebration of Easter, we are invited to think about the moments when we encountered Jesus in our lives.  Did we recognize him? What did we say to him? Did we invite him to stay with us? Our mission as those who have found Resurrection faith and the hope it brings is to share the light and life of the Risen Lord with our struggling world.

In Jesus’ Resurrection appearances, he greets his disciples with the words, “Peace be with you.” This is a most appropriate greeting. The disciples have witnessed the death of someone they loved, and they now fear for their own lives as well. Peace is what they need more than anything else. Jesus often connects this greeting of peace with the gift of forgiveness.

When the disciples hear Jesus’ greeting of peace, they are startled and terrified. He asked them, “why do questions arise in your hearts? It is I who has risen from the dead.” In these post-resurrection appearances, Jesus is present as a real person still bearing the marks of crucifixion. Jesus shared a meal with the disciples and they recognized Him in the meals that he has shared with them. The real heart of the story, however, is not the meal but the quality of his appearance to the disciples.

Jesus appeared to his disciples as a living person. God reaches his people through his creation. God is never far from his people.  Jesus enters into our human history and we are never the same. There is a hymn that says, “You don’t know what he’s done for me. He gave me the victory! I love him, I love him. I really love the Lord.”
 
Our experience of God must be a real and personal experience. Jesus is real and walks with us every day of our lives.  We must look for him even in the small experiences of our lives and tell the world what he has done for us. Jesus is never far from his people. God is my all and all. May the peace of God rest in our hearts and strengthen us to be his witnesses always.