Emmaus, we have heard the name of this village –
heard also the story of what happened to the two disciples going there.
They were on their way, and then suddently…
But let us listen to Anil Das Kumar and Dominic Savio Rassalayyan
telling us what happened on that night…
Reading the gospel, sometimes a sentence, even a single word, can keep us… there –
at the thought, or the scene, or… more still, at the situation described.
We may not be fully aware of the reason, but we are drawn to remain… just there.
We feel the need to see more, understand more deeply, realize…
Yes, realize that what is described, in a given text, is very close to our own experience.
This could be said of what today’s gospel says of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35):
“Something prevented them from recognizing him.”
Of course, we wonder… what is this something?
Why is it that, while Jesus is walking with them, the two men fail to recognize him?
The two disciples see, but they do not perceive…
Their minds are puzzled, they fail to understand…
Their hearts grieve, they are unaware of the reality…
Pursuing our reflection, we may look… inwards… and ask ourselves:
What is it that prevents US from recognizing the Lord walking with us – for he does!
We are often confused by what happens to us.
We are bewildered by the situations we find ourselves in.
We grieve, we lament, we are sad and downcast.
And… we do not dare to hope, we do not dare to BELIEVE, so we fail to see…
We do not recognize ‘God-with-us’ – the very name given to Jesus: ‘Emmanuel’ – walking with us.
Until… Until when?…
Until God becomes really real for us!
Note: In the following video, Anil Das Kumar and Dominic Savio Rassalayyan, who personify the disciples of Emmaus, tell us what happened on that night as they were on the way: https://youtu.be/4QwKU442-80
Another text is available on a different theme, in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/3e-dimanche-de-paques-annee-a-2023/
Waiting – there is much of this in our lives, no doubt about it.
We wait for all kinds of things to happen and for different people to come.
We anticipate some events with joy and trepidation.
And we find it difficult to wait with patience for the arrival of certain people so eager are we to see them.
In the gospel of this Sunday (Luke 3:10-18), we see people coming to John the Baptist to be baptized.
And of them, the text says:
“The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts
if John might possibly be the Messiah”.
This description reveals some joyful anticipation, some eagerness for the coming of the one they call: ‘The Messiah’.
What about us… are we waiting for someone, truly waiting, eagerly expecting this Someone?
Are we wondering in our hearts… when he will be coming, under which form he will appear?…
Do we ask ourselves whether we will recognize him?…
Every year, in this period of Advent, we are invited anew to wait for the Lord.
We no longer wonder or ask ourselves questions –
it seems that we know well the One we are waiting for, and we can put a date on his arrival: Christmas day.
But… does this ‘historical’ coming not hide a more frequent coming of God in our lives?
Of God ‘dressed’ in a different clothing than the Child Jesus…
Of God, no longer lying in a manger, but knocking at our door for help…
Of God asking for food, work, justice, dignity – all that a human being has a right to… 
God does not claim these for himself – we usually give him glory and praise and thanks, do we not?
But he asks for, no, he demands respect, justice, help, for everyone of his children.
HE, TOO, IS… WAITING…
And our period of waiting should be an answer to HIS…
Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/3e-dimanche-de-lavent-annee-c-2021/
And in a short video, also in French, Ghislaine Deslières offers us another reflection on this 3rd Sunday of Advent, Year C, at: https://youtu.be/bEtz8IfMSOA
Source: Images: biblepic.com VideoHive
If asked about someone – whether we know the person or not – we may reply that we know of him, or her.
On the other hand, we may answer that we know him, or her – and there is a difference.
In the first instance, we may have heard about someone, or read some of his/her writings, or seen photos of them.
But we would not claim to know that person.
We are all aware that there are degrees of knowing.
We are conscious that claiming to know someone involves a relationship –
someone may be an acquaintance, a distant relative, or a close friend.
This reflection came to me as I read the gospel text of this 3rd Sunday of Easter (Lk.24:35-48).
Jesus appeared to the group of his apostles and…
“They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.”
The apostles knew Jesus – they had lived with him for three years, or so.
They could have claimed to know him… quite well.
Yet, they would have probably admitted that, very often, they did not understand him.
And, on that night, they simply failed to recognize him.
Their knowledge of him had to grow and somehow be transformed.
They knew him as Jesus, the former carpenter, or Jesus, the Man of Nazareth.
Now, they had to recognize in him more than that… they had to know him as the Risen Lord.
“Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.”
I believe that such a growth must be part of my own relationship with God.
God may have been the God of my childhood, and the God of my youth.
He may have remained my God when I became an adult, but… did he remain the same?
And, if I have reached the ‘golden age’, is he still the same for me, as he was before?
Some may hasten to reply that, of course, God is the same, they will claim that God does not change.
This may be correct in some way.
But I have changed, and I believe that my understanding of God should somehow grow with me…
For me too, God must open my mind so that I may understand who he truly is… now…
And he may reveal himself in other ways – surprising and wonderful – as I walk with him from day to day.
Note: Another reflection on a different theme is available in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/3e-dimanche-de-paques-annee-b-2021/
Thomas, the apostle, has been blamed and praised probably in equal measure!
We meet him in the second part of today’s gospel (Jn.20:19-31).
It is obvious that he could speak his mind and was not easily influenced by other people.
His companions tell him that they have seen Jesus, yes, the Lord who is risen.
To Thomas, what the other apostles claim is simply impossible, it cannot be.
He will not accept such a thing, they are dreaming.
To him, his friends are mistaken, they take their hopes for reality.
Thomas tells them clearly:
“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands,
and put my finger in the mark of the nails,
and my hand in his side,
I will not believe.”
One week goes by…
One week of denying… questioning himself… weighing possibilities…
Recognizing the impossibility… and then…
Recognizing the Lord himself!
A recognition that expresses itself in words that Christians have been repeating for centuries.
“My Lord and my God!”
From disbelief to adoration!
Thomas’ journey… which could be mine…
Note: Another reflection on a different theme is available in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/2e-dimanche-de-paques-annee-b-2021/
Thomas introduces himself in the following video at: https://youtu.be/kp1eb-oBH6w
The scene of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, today’s gospel (Luke 24:13-35)
offers many interesting aspects for reflection.
One especially retains my attention; the text says:
“Jesus himself came up and walked along with them;
but they were kept from recognizing him. »
Many writers have been speculating on the cause of this:
what was it that prevented the disciples from recognizing Jesus?
What caused them to be blind in this way, unable to see that the man walking with them was Jesus?
Different commentators have proposed different reasons.
As far as their explanations are concerned, the usual expression can be used:
‘On this matter, the jury is still out.’
In other words, nobody knows for sure!
The reason why this verse keeps me thinking does not belong to exegesis.
It is more personal, much closer to ‘home’, one could say.
The question then becomes formulated in a different way,
and it is addressed to me directly:
‘What is it that prevents ME from recognizing Jesus in my own life?
What prevents me from perceiving Christ, the Risen Lord, present with me from day to day?
What is the cause if this unusual blindness,
this failure to be aware of the obvious presence –
even though hidden from the eyes of my body?
An impediment of what kind?
An obstacle of what sort?
Fear of seeing something within myself that I would prefer not to see?
Shame for something of the past which I do not want to acknowledge?
Inattention? Indifference?
Perhaps simply forgetfulness?
Whenever I walk alone on whatever road or path, perhaps I could find out?…
Note: A video presentation of this scene can be found at: https://youtu.be/4QwKU442-80
And another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/3e-dimanche-de-paques-annee-a-2020/
Reading texts of the Bible, we may be drawn by a scene or a person.
Our attention may be caught by an event or a story.
A parable or a text may speak to us in a special way.
But it happens that a single word strikes us so much that we remain pondering it.
It is the case for me with this Sunday’s gospel text (Mt.4:12-23) where we are told that
Jesus called some fishermen to follow him and
“immediately they left their nets and followed him.”
“Immediately”, no hesitation, no delay.
No waiting, no wondering, no questioning.
Most of us are not fishermen, we have obviously no boats or nets to leave.
Yet… God calls us, he calls everyone in a way that is altogether personal and unique.
We may not perceive his voice, we may not always recognize that he is the one calling…
Some people speak of a small, inner voice… an invitation to…
To do what? To be what?
This may be the moment to listen… to recognize… and to respond… immediately…
Note: Another reflection is available on a different them in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/3e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2020/
To SEE – To LOOK – To RECOGNIZE.
This is the invitation addressed to us in today’s gospel text (Jn.1:29-34).
In only 5 verses, the words ‘look’ and ‘see’ are used 4 times – the message is rather obvious!
Seeing… our eyes are constantly busy with this activity.
Countless things pass before our eyes every minute of the day, unless we close our eyes, of course.
But do we really see them?
If asked about the colour of the car that just passed, or the name of the building in large letters before us,
we may be taken aback and ask ourselves…
We just did not see this.
Looking is more than simply seeing, it asks for attention. 
We need to focus, to concentrate and ‘take in’ the vision of what our eyes perceive.
The photo we look at is perhaps not clear, the landscape before us may be misty:
perhaps we need to look more closely, to adjust to what we see so as to… recognize the picture.
To recognize is even more demanding, it requires a deeper perception still.
This is perhaps the difference between ‘sight’ and ‘insight’…
In today’s gospel scene, John the Baptist invites his disciples to do precisely this:
to recognize Jesus, recognize him for who he truly is.
And this invitation is addressed to us as well . . .
Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/2e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2020/
At times, we think that to understand God’s words and ways we need long studies and much wisdom.
Wisdom? Yes, but not necessarily the one coming from intellectual achievement!
The wisdom of ordinary people, of ‘simple folks’, as they are sometimes referred to, is closer to genuine insight.
The gospel text of today’s feast of Mary, Mother of God (Year B, Lk.2:16-21) gives us to meet such simple people: the shepherds.
They have much from which we can learn.
Their attitude shows us to way to follow.
“They hurried away
and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger.
They repeated… what they had been told about him…
They went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen.”
Ordinary people making the experience of an extraordinary event.
Their reaction is the proper one:
What else could be expected from us today?…