L'Evangile dans ma vie/ The Gospel in my life

Gospel text

(Mk 16:15-20): 

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

Action of the day: Be missionary of Divine Mercy.

“Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature”

Mons. Agustí CORTÉS i Soriano Bishop of Sant Feliu de Llobregat(Barcelona, Spain)

Today, there is much to say about why the word of the Gospel does not echo with strength and conviction; why we Christians keep a hesitant silence regarding what we believe in, in spite of the so-called “new evangelization”. Each one will make his or her own analysis about this and will come up with their own particular version.

However, on the Feast of St. Mark, while listening to the Gospel and looking at the Evangelist, we cannot but proclaim assuredly and gratefully where the source is and where the strength of our word lies.

The Evangelist does not speak because he has been told to do so by a recent sociological study, or because of political “prudence”, or because “he feels like saying what he thinks”, no; he does so because a presence and a command have certainly compelled him, from the outside, without coercion, but with the authority of He who deserves all the credit: “Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all creation” (Mk 16:15). That is, we obediently evangelize, although we must do so gleefully and confidently.

On the other hand, our word is not presented just like any other, out of the market of ideas and views; rather, it has the whole weight of every strong and explicit message. Life or death depends upon its recognition or rejection; and its truth and capacity for conviction come from the testimonial way, that is, it appears accredited by the signs of power in favor of the needy. This is why the word actually is an “announcement” — a public, happy and excited statement of a conclusive and saving fact.

Why, then, our silence? Fear? Shyness? St. Justin said that “though unlettered and without any fluency, they could persuade mankind because of their virtue.” Thus, the sign or miracle of virtue is our eloquence. Let the Lord carry out, at least, His work, in our midst and with us: “While the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs” (Mk 16:20).

Gospel text

(Mk 16:9-15): 

When Jesus had risen, early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. After this he appeared in another form to two of them walking along on their way to the country. They returned and told the others; but they did not believe them either. [But] later, as the eleven were at table, he appeared to them and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who saw him after he had been raised. He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.”

The Application

Whatever may be the mission which is entrusted to us, it is in the NAME of the Lord. We must never forget that we speak and act in the name of God, in the name of God the Trinity. And may our words and actions bring life to every being, protect it and make it grow, as God does. When I say mission, it is quite varied. For example, for a married man, the mission is towards his wife, his family, for parents towards their children, etc. I would not want to reduce mission, naively, to announcing the Good News to the outside world (who do not know God), for we are all, by baptism called to be missionaries, wherever we are.

As we heard yesterday in the first reading, let us first proclaim God's mercy. Very often we announce punishment and provoke fear and guilt. Jesus did not ask to announce all this. He wanted to forgive all, and Paul is the best example. God does not desire the death of sinners, but that they be converted and live their lives fully in freedom, as children of God.

Action of the day: Be merciful.

“Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature”

Fr. Jacques PHILIPPE

(Cordes sur Ciel, France)

Today, relying on the risen Jesus, we must rediscover the Gospel as the "Good News". The Gospel is not a law that tyrannizes us. Occasionally, we may have fallen into the temptation of thinking that non-Christians are more tranquil than us and do what they want, whereas we have to abide by a list of commandments. This is a merely superficial view of things.

Personally, one of my biggest concerns is that the Gospel may always be presented as good news, happy news that fills our hearts with joy and consolation.

The teaching of Jesus is certainly demanding, but Thérèse of the Child Jesus helps us to really perceive it as good news, since for her the Gospel is the revelation of God’s tenderness, of God’s mercy with each one of His children, and it points out the laws of life that lead to happiness. The center of Christian life is to welcome with appreciation the kindness and the goodness of God - revelation of his merciful love - and allow us to be transformed by this love.

The spiritual journey taken by Saint Thérèse, the "Little Way", is an authentic way of holiness, a path with room for all, made in such a way that no one can get discouraged — neither the humblest, nor the poorest, nor the sinner. Thus, Thérèse anticipates the Vatican II Council that strongly affirms that holiness is not an exceptional way, but a call to all Christians from which nobody should be excluded. Even the most vulnerable and lowly among us can respond to the call to holiness.

This Holiness consists of a “way all about confidence and love.” Thus, “it is your arms, Jesus, which are the lift to carry me to Heaven (…). You, my God, have exceeded my hope, and I would like to sing your mercies” (St. Thérèse of Lisieux).

Texte de l'Évangile

(Mc 16,9-15): 

Ressuscité de grand matin, le premier jour de la semaine, Jésus apparut d'abord à Marie Madeleine, de laquelle il avait expulsé sept démons. Celle-ci partit annoncer la nouvelle à ceux qui, ayant vécu avec lui, s'affligeaient et pleuraient. Quand ils entendirent qu'il était vivant et qu'elle l'avait vu, ils refusèrent de croire. Après cela, il se manifesta sous un aspect inhabituel à deux d'entre eux qui étaient en chemin pour aller à la campagne. Ceux-ci revinrent l'annoncer aux autres, qui ne les crurent pas non plus. Enfin, il se manifesta aux Onze eux-mêmes pendant qu'ils étaient à table: il leur reprocha leur incrédulité et leur endurcissement parce qu'ils n'avaient pas cru ceux qui l'avaient vu ressuscité. Puis il leur dit: «Allez dans le monde entier. Proclamez la Bonne Nouvelle à toute la création».

L’Application

Quelle que soit la mission qui nous est confiée, c'est au NOM du Seigneur. Nous ne devons jamais oublier que nous parlons et agissons au nom de Dieu, au nom du Dieu Trinité. Et que nos paroles et nos actes fassent naître la vie, la protègent et la fassent grandir, comme Dieu le fait. Quand je dis mission, c'est très varié. Par exemple, pour un homme marié, la mission est envers sa femme, sa famille, pour les parents envers leurs enfants, etc. Je ne voudrais pas réduire la mission, naïvement, à l'annonce de la Bonne Nouvelle au monde extérieur (qui ne connaît pas Dieu), car nous sommes tous, par le baptême, appelés à être missionnaires, là où nous sommes.

Comme nous l'avons entendu hier dans la première lecture, annonçons d'abord la miséricorde de Dieu. Très souvent, nous annonçons le châtiment et provoquons la peur et la culpabilité. Jésus n'a pas demandé à annoncer tout cela. Il a voulu pardonner à tous, et Paul en est le meilleur exemple. Dieu ne désire pas la mort des pécheurs, mais qu'ils se convertissent et vivent pleinement leur vie en liberté, comme des enfants de Dieu.

«Allez dans le monde entier. Proclamez la Bonne Nouvelle à toute la création»

Père Jacques PHILIPPE

(Cordes sur Ciel, France)

Aujourd'hui comptant sur Jésus ressuscité, nous devons redécouvrir l'Evangile comme une "bonne nouvelle". L'Evangile n'est pas une loi qui nous opprime. Nous avons pu parfois tomber dans la tentation de penser que ceux qui ne sont pas chrétiens sont plus tranquilles que nous et font ce qu'ils veulent, alors que nous nous devons obéir à une liste de commandements. C'est une vision des choses purement superficielle.

Personnellement, une de mes principales préoccupations est que l'Evangile se présente toujours comme une bonne nouvelle, une nouvelle joyeuse, qui nous remplit le cœur de joie et de consolation.

L'enseignement de Jésus est évidemment exigeant, mais Sainte Thérèse de l'Enfant Jésus nous aide à le percevoir réellement comme une bonne nouvelle, car pour elle l'Evangile n'est rien d'autre que la révélation de la tendresse de Dieu, de la miséricorde de Dieu pour chacun de ses enfants, et qu'il indique les lois de la vie qui mènent au bonheur. Le centre de la vie chrétienne est d'accueillir avec reconnaissance la tendresse et la bonté de Dieu – révélation de son amour miséricordieux – et de se laisser transformer par cet amour.

L'itinéraire spirituel pris par la petite Sainte Thérèse, le "petit chemin", est un authentique chemin de sainteté, un chemin ouvert à tous, fait de telle façon que personne ne puisse se décourager, ni les plus humbles ni les plus pauvres, ni les plus pécheurs. Thérèse est ainsi en avance sur le Concile Vatican II qui affirme avec certitude que la sainteté n'est pas un chemin exceptionnel, mais un appel pour tous les chrétiens, dont personne ne doit être exclu. Même le plus vulnérable et le plus misérable des hommes peut répondre à l'appel de la sainteté.

Cette sainteté consiste en un "chemin de confiance et d'amour". Ainsi, "l'ascenseur qui doit m'élever jusqu'au ciel ce sont tes bras, Jésus !" (…). Toi, Mon Dieu, tu as dépassé mes espérances, et je veux chanter tes miséricordes" (Sainte Thérèse de Lisieux).

Gospel text

(Jn 21:1-14): 

Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way. Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will come with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish.

When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead.

The Application

All the poste resurrection narrations are very important, not only to our spiritual life, but also in our personal life, particularly when we are disoriented, during the moments of desolations. The way the disciples discern and how Jesus acts upon, give us the best way of acting and our way to respond, the way God acts in our personal life.

Thus, we can have two kinds of looking at today's gospel, one directed towards God, and the other directed towards ourselves. By looking at Jesus, we discover his patience and the way he accompanies his disciples. We can also look at Jesus with the same spirit today, because He continues to do so. Though we find difficult to realize His physical presence or the warmness of his presence, He is there, very close to us. We need to believe in this mystical way that God accompanies us.   

The send is, the look towards ourselves, towards our own interiority, which is represented by the emptiness, after having toiled all night. This emptiness is not necessarily negative, because it helps us to recognise our vulnerability and teaches us to understand the need to trust in God. In this faith process, we need others, because they help us to discover a truth that we are not able to see. We need someone to say, hi don’t lose heart.

It is Jesus who invites them to the table and it is always the Lord who takes the initiative. We must always believe that even the night of our life, with the Lord, is capable of leading us certainly towards the day.

Action of the day: Don’t be afraid of darkness, just believe.

“This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead”

+ Fr. Joaquim MONRÓS i Guitart

(Tarragona, Spain)

Today, for the third time, Jesus reveals himself to his disciples after his rising. Peter has gone back to his old fisherman job and the others have decided to join him. It stands to reason that, if he was a fisherman before following Jesus, afterwards, he gets back to his old job; and there still are those who are surprised to see that it is not necessary to leave one's honest work to follow Christ.

That night they caught nothing! And when the day breaks and Jesus appears, they do not recognize him until He asks them for something to eat. When they tell him they have nothing, He just points out where they are to throw their net. And, even though fishermen seem to have all the answers and they had fished all the night to no avail, they obey him. “The power of obedience! The lake of Tiberias had denied its fishes to Peter's nets. A whole night in vain. — Then, obedient, he lowered his net again to the water and they caught 'a huge number of fish'. — Believe me: the miracle is repeated each day.” (Saint Josemaria).

The Evangelist points out “the net was dragged ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish” (Jn 21:11) but, in spite of being so many, the net was not torn. These are details to bear in mind, as Redemption, amid normal work, takes place with responsible obedience.

They “realized it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them” (Jn 21:12-13). He did the same with the fish. If we obey him we shall not lack either the spiritual or the material food. He taught this to his closest followers and Saint John Paul II said it too: “At the beginning of the new millennium, our hearts ring out with the words of Jesus when one day (…) he invited the Apostle to ‘put out into the deep’ for a catch: ‘Duc in altum’ (Lk 5:4). Peter and his first companions trusted Christ's words, and ‘they caught a great number of fish’ (Lk 5:6). Duc in altum! These words ring out for us today”.

With our obedience —like Our Lady Mary's obedience— we ask the Lord to go on giving his Church his apostolic fruits.

Texte de l'Évangile

(Jn 21,1-14): 

Après cela, Jésus se manifesta encore aux disciples sur le bord du lac de Tibériade, et voici comment. Il y avait là Simon-Pierre, avec Thomas (dont le nom signifie: Jumeau), Nathanaël, de Cana en Galilée, les fils de Zébédée, et deux autres disciples. Simon-Pierre leur dit: «Je m'en vais à la pêche». Ils lui répondent: «Nous allons avec toi». Ils partirent et montèrent dans la barque; or, ils passèrent la nuit sans rien prendre.

Au lever du jour, Jésus était là, sur le rivage, mais les disciples ne savaient pas que c'était lui. Jésus les appelle: «Les enfants, auriez-vous un peu de poisson?». Ils lui répondent: «Non». Il leur dit: «Jetez le filet à droite de la barque, et vous trouverez». Ils jetèrent donc le filet, et cette fois ils n'arrivaient pas à le ramener, tellement il y avait de poisson. Alors, le disciple que Jésus aimait dit à Pierre: «C'est le Seigneur!». Quand Simon-Pierre l'entendit déclarer que c'était le Seigneur, il passa un vêtement, car il n'avait rien sur lui, et il se jeta à l'eau. Les autres disciples arrivent en barque, tirant le filet plein de poissons; la terre n'était qu'à une centaine de mètres.

En débarquant sur le rivage, ils voient un feu de braise avec du poisson posé dessus, et du pain. Jésus leur dit: «Apportez donc de ce poisson que vous venez de prendre». Simon-Pierre monta dans la barque et amena jusqu'à terre le filet plein de gros poissons: il y en avait cent cinquante-trois. Et, malgré cette quantité, le filet ne s'était pas déchiré. Jésus dit alors: «Venez déjeuner». Aucun des disciples n'osait lui demander: «Qui es-tu?». Ils savaient que c'était le Seigneur. Jésus s'approche, prend le pain et le leur donne, ainsi que le poisson. C'était la troisième fois que Jésus ressuscité d'entre les morts se manifestait à ses disciples.

L’Application

Nous pouvons avoir deux types de regard sur l'évangile d'aujourd'hui, l'un dirigé vers Dieu, l'autre dirigé vers nous-mêmes. En regardant Jésus, nous découvrons sa patience et la manière dont il accompagne ses disciples. Nous pouvons aussi regarder Jésus avec le même regard, car il continue à le faire aujourd'hui. Même si nous avons du mal à réaliser sa présence physique ou la chaleur de sa présence, il est là, tout près de nous. 

Le regard vers nous-mêmes, vers notre propre intériorité, est représenté par le vide, après avoir peiné toute la nuit. Ce vide n'est pas nécessairement négatif, car il nous aide à reconnaître notre vulnérabilité et nous apprend à comprendre la nécessité de faire confiance à Dieu. Dans ce processus, nous avons besoin des autres, car ils nous aident à découvrir une vérité que nous ne sommes pas capables de voir. C'est Jésus qui les invite à la table et c'est toujours le Seigneur qui prend l'initiative. Nous devons toujours croire que même la nuit de notre vie, avec le Seigneur, est capable de nous conduire certainement vers le jour.

«C'était la troisième fois que Jésus ressuscité d'entre les morts se manifestait à ses disciples»

+ Abbé Joaquim MONRÓS i Guitart

(Tarragona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui pour la troisième fois depuis sa résurrection, Jésus se manifeste aux disciples. Pierre est retourné à son travail de pêcheur et les autres l'ont accompagné. S'il était pêcheur avant de se joindre à Jésus, il est normal qu'il continue après, alors que certains s'étonnent que, pour suivre le Christ, l'on ne soit pas tenu d’abandonner un travail honnête.

Cette nuit-là, ils ne prirent rien! Et quand au lever du jour, Jésus apparaît, ils ne le reconnaissent que lorsqu'il leur demande quelque chose à manger. Quand ils répondent qu'ils n'ont rien, Il leur indique où ils doivent jeter le filet. Et bien que les pêcheurs soient au courant de tout, et qu'ils aient travaillé sans résultat toute la nuit, ils obéissent. «Pouvoir de l'obéissance! —Le lac de Génésareth, a refusé ses poissons aux filets de Pierre. Toute la nuit en vain. —Maintenant, obéissant, il remet le filet à l'eau et voici qu'ils prennent (...) une grande quantité de poissons. —Crois-moi: le miracle se reproduit chaque jour» (Saint Josemaría).

L'évangéliste nous raconte qu'il y avait «cent cinquante-trois gros poissons» (cf. Jn 21:11) mais que, malgré cette quantité, le filet ne se rompit pas. Ce sont des détails à prendre en considération; la Rédemption s'est faite avec une obéissance responsable, au beau milieu des tâches quotidiennes.

Tous savaient «que c'était le Seigneur. Jésus s'approche, prend le pain et le leur donne» (Jn 21:12-13). Ainsi que les poissons. Que ce soit la nourriture spirituelle ou la matérielle, elle ne nous manquera pas si nous obéissons. Il l'apprend à ses disciples plus prochains et nous le redit par l'entremise de Jean Paul II: «Au début du nouveau millénaire (…) dans notre cœur résonnent à nouveau les paroles par lesquelles Jésus, (…) invita l'Apôtre à «avancer au large» pour pêcher: «Duc in altum» (Lc 5:4). Pierre et ses premiers compagnons firent confiance à la parole du Christ et jetèrent leurs filets. «Et l'ayant fait, ils capturèrent une grande multitude de poissons» (Lc 5,6). Cette parole résonne aujourd'hui pour nous.

Avec une obéissance, comme celle de Marie, nous demandons au Seigneur de continuer d'octroyer à toute l'Église des fruits d'apostolat.

Gospel text

(Lk 24:35-48): 

The disciples of Jesus recounted what had taken place along the way, and how they had come to recognize him in the breaking of bread. While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them.

He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”

The Application

It takes time to get adjusted to a new situation or to a new philosophy. God understands our difficulty and accompanies us in our own way. He gives us time and space to digest all that we have accumulated in our life span of time. He understand that the disciples of the Lord suffer greatly from the absence of their Master. The events were so brutal that they could not understand or digest them. The Lord's appearances, his explanation of the sacred Scriptures, his participation in their daily lives, even after the resurrection, were not enough and  they could not understand the resurrection. Since they did not have a serenity in their interiority, even the peace that God offers could not work any miracle. However, there is an immense joy that overshadowed, in this troubled moment.

Jesus understands our difficulty and everything that slows us down towards understanding the divine mysteries. He will be there, and he will walk with us. At this time of such turmoil, we must listen to the Lord, like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, make him part of our daily lives, and invite him to the table. We must have patience, remain together and I assure you that the story will end in joy.

Action of the day: Trust the Lord and have patience.

“Peace be with you.”

Fr. Joan Carles MONTSERRAT i Pulido

(Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain)

Today, the risen Christ meets again his disciples with his desire of peace: “Peace be with you.” This is how He makes disappear the fears and forebodings the Apostles had accumulated during their days of Passion and loneliness.

He is not a ghost but totally real; at times, however, fright in our lives is taking shape as if it were the only reality possible. At times also, it is our lack of faith and of interior life which is changing things: fright becomes reality and Christ gradually vanishes from our life. The presence of Christ in our Christian life, instead, lightens up our existence, especially in those places no human explanation may account for. Saint Gregory of Nazianzus urged us: “We should be ashamed to dispense with the salutation of peace; salutation the Lord left with us when He was going to leave this world. Peace is a name and a substantial thing emanating from God, as the Apostle Paul said to the Philippians: ‘The peace of God’; and that it is from God is also shown when he tells the Ephesians: ‘He is our peace’.”

It is the resurrection of Christ which gives a meaning to all our difficulties and sufferings, which helps us to recover our peace of mind and calm us down in the darkness of our life. All other small lights we may find in our life are only meaningful under this Light.

In the Gospel we read: "Everything written about me in the Law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled”: and again we read “He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures”, as He had already done with the disciples at Emmaus. The Lord also wants us to understand the meaning of the Scriptures for our life; He wants our poor heart to become a flaming heart, like his: with the explanation of the Scriptures and the chunk of bread, the Holy Eucharist. In other words: the Christian task is to see how He makes his story become a story of salvation.

Texte de l'Évangile

(Lc 24,35-48): 

A leur tour, ils racontaient ce qui s'était passé sur la route, et comment ils l'avaient reconnu quand il avait rompu le pain. Comme ils en parlaient encore, lui-même était là au milieu d'eux, et il leur dit: «La paix soit avec vous!». Frappés de stupeur et de crainte, ils croyaient voir un esprit. Jésus leur dit: «Pourquoi êtes-vous bouleversés? Et pourquoi ces pensées qui surgissent en vous? Voyez mes mains et mes pieds: c'est bien moi! Touchez-moi, regardez: un esprit n'a pas de chair ni d'os, et vous constatez que j'en ai». Après cette parole, il leur montra ses mains et ses pieds. Dans leur joie, ils n'osaient pas encore y croire, et restaient saisis d'étonnement. Jésus leur dit: «Avez-vous ici quelque chose à manger?». Ils lui offrirent un morceau de poisson grillé. Il le prit et le mangea devant eux.

Puis il déclara: «Rappelez-vous les paroles que je vous ai dites quand j'étais encore avec vous: Il fallait que s'accomplisse tout ce qui a été écrit de moi dans la loi de Moïse, les Prophètes et les Psaumes». Alors il leur ouvrit l'esprit à l'intelligence des Écritures. Il conclut: «C'est bien ce qui était annoncé par l'Écriture: les souffrances du Messie, sa résurrection d'entre les morts le troisième jour, et la conversion proclamée en son nom pour le pardon des péchés à toutes les nations, en commençant par Jérusalem. C'est vous qui en êtes les témoins».

L’Application

Les disciples du Seigneur souffrent beaucoup de l'absence de leur Maître. Les événements ont été si brutaux qu'ils n'ont pu les comprendre ou les digérer. Les apparitions du Seigneur, ses illuminations des Saintes Écritures, sa participation à leur vie quotidienne, même après la résurrection, n'ont pas été si soudaines qu'ils ne pouvaient pas comprendre la résurrection. Comme ils n'avaient pas de sérénité dans leur intériorité, même la paix que Dieu offre n'a pu faire aucun miracle. Cependant, il y a une joie immense qui les a assombris. 

Jésus comprend notre difficulté et tout ce qui nous ralentit. Il sera là, et il marchera avec nous. En ce moment si troublé, nous devons écouter le Seigneur, comme les disciples sur la route d'Emmaüs, l'intégrer dans notre vie quotidienne, l'inviter à la table. Nous devons faire preuve de patience et je vous assure que l'histoire se terminera dans la joie.

«La Paix soit avec vous!»

Abbé Joan Carles MONTSERRAT i Pulido

(Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui le Christ ressuscité salue à nouveau les disciples et leur souhaite la paix: «La Paix soit avec vous!» (Lc 24:36). Il efface ainsi les craintes et les pressentiments qui avaient assailli les Apôtres pendant les jours de passion et de solitude.

Jésus n'est pas un esprit, il est bien réel, mais, parfois, la peur s'empare de nous et devient l'unique réalité. D'autres fois, c'est le manque de foi et de vie intérieure qui transforment les choses: la peur devienne réalité et le Christ s'efface de nos vies. Au contraire, la présence de Christ dans la vie du chrétien écarte les doutes et illumine notre existence, spécialement ces recoins qu'aucune explication humaine ne saurait pas éclaircir. Saint Grégoire de Nazianze nous exhorte: «Nous devrions avoir honte de ne pas faire le salut de la Paix que le Seigneur nous a laissé lorsqu'il allait partir de ce monde. La paix est un nom et une chose savoureuse en provenance de Dieu, d'après ce que l'Apôtre dit aux Philippiens: ‘La paix de Dieu’; et qu'elle vient de Dieu il le confirme lorsque il dit aux Éphésiens: ‘Il est notre paix’».

La résurrection de Christ donne leur sens à toutes les vicissitudes et à tous les sentiments, elle nous permet de récupérer le calme et de trouver la paix dans les ténèbres de notre vie. Les autres petites lumières que nous rencontrons ici-bas n'ont un sens qu'en cette Lumière.

«Il fallait que s'accomplisse tout ce qui a été écrit de moi dans la loi de Moïse, les Prophètes et les Psaumes». Alors il leur ouvrit l'esprit à l'intelligence des Écritures» (Lc 24:44-45), comme il l'avait déjà fait avec les disciples d'Emmaüs. Le Seigneur veut aussi nous ouvrir l'intelligence des Écritures; il désire transformer notre pauvre coeur en un coeur aussi ardent que le sien, grâce à l'explication des Écritures et à la fraction du Pain, l'Eucharistie. En d'autres termes, la tâché du chrétien est de voir que le Seigneur veut transformer son histoire en histoire du salut.

Gospel text

(Lk 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 Messiah 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.

The Application

A totally unexpected encounter, yet it ends wonderfully. This encounter is offered to all of us, as God comes to meet us on our paths, without giving us any further information.

So many years of journey, with its ups and downs, filled with joy, happiness and sadness, we run from Jerusalem to Emmaus, looking for our places of safety, very often accusing the other, as the only stranger, who has ignored the events of the day.

Let us look at this event differently. The stranger is welcomed with an open heart, lending him his ears, opening the door, inviting him to the table. In truth, it was He who welcomed them, listened to their worries and sadness, accompanied their whole life, proposing a new encounter, opening the secrets of the sacred scriptures to them, finally making them participate in the breaking of the bread.  

What a joy to come to this time of emptiness and desolation. Very often our voids are filled by God's grace and our desolations are transformed into a moment of joy. To live it, we must invite the other, leave the door open, make the other participate in our intimate life.  There, we will say like those disciples of Emmaus, "Were not our hearts burning within us as he spoke to us on the road and made us understand the Scriptures?"

Action of the day: Be open and welcoming.

“Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?”

Fr. Luis PERALTA Hidalgo SDB

(Lisboa, Portugal)

Today we are reassured by the Gospel that Jesus is alive and continues to be the center around which the disciples' community is built. The gathering of the community, the dialog with brothers and sisters who share the same faith, the reading of the Word of God, the love shared and expressed through fraternity and service, is precisely the ecclesial context in which the disciples can encounter the Resurrected.

The disciples filled with grief, couldn't even imagine that that stranger was in fact their Master, now resurrected. But they felt “an ardent yearning” in their hearts (cf. Lk 24:32), when He talked, "explaining" the Scriptures. The light of the Word softened their hearts and “their eyes were opened” (Lk 24:31).

The story of the disciples of Emmaus is useful as a guide to us in the long journey through a path of doubts, afflictions and sometimes even bitter disillusionments; the Divine traveler continues to be our companion who introduces us, by explaining the Scriptures, to the comprehension of God's mysteries. Upon the fulfillment of this encounter the light of the Word is followed by the light that emerges from the “Bread of Life”, through which Christ fulfills perfectly His promise that He would be with us “always, until the end of the age” (Mt 28:20).

The Holy Father Benedict XVI explains that “The proclamation of the Lord's Resurrection lightens up the dark regions of the world in which we live.”

Texte de l'Évangile

(Lc 24,13-35): 

Le même jour, deux disciples faisaient route vers un village appelé Emmaüs, à deux heures de marche de Jérusalem, et ils parlaient ensemble de tout ce qui s'était passé. Or, tandis qu'ils parlaient et discutaient, Jésus lui-même s'approcha, et il marchait avec eux. Mais leurs yeux étaient aveuglés, et ils ne le reconnaissaient pas.

Jésus leur dit: «De quoi causiez-vous donc, tout en marchant?». Alors, ils s'arrêtèrent, tout tristes. L'un des deux, nommé Cléophas, répondit: «Tu es bien le seul de tous ceux qui étaient à Jérusalem à ignorer les événements de ces jours-ci». Il leur dit: «Quels événements?». Ils lui répondirent: «Ce qui est arrivé à Jésus de Nazareth: cet homme était un prophète puissant par ses actes et ses paroles devant Dieu et devant tout le peuple. Les chefs des prêtres et nos dirigeants l'ont livré, ils l'ont fait condamner à mort et ils l'ont crucifié. Et nous qui espérions qu'il serait le libérateur d'Israël! Avec tout cela, voici déjà le troisième jour qui passe depuis que c'est arrivé. A vrai dire, nous avons été bouleversés par quelques femmes de notre groupe. Elles sont allées au tombeau de très bonne heure, et elles n'ont pas trouvé son corps; elles sont même venues nous dire qu'elles avaient eu une apparition: des anges, qui disaient qu'il est vivant. Quelques-uns de nos compagnons sont allés au tombeau, et ils ont trouvé les choses comme les femmes l'avaient dit; mais lui, ils ne l'ont pas vu». Il leur dit alors: «Vous n'avez donc pas compris ! Comme votre coeur est lent à croire tout ce qu'ont dit les prophètes! Ne fallait-il pas que le Messie souffrît tout cela pour entrer dans sa gloire?». Et, en partant de Moïse et de tous les Prophètes, il leur expliqua, dans toute l'Écriture, ce qui le concernait.

Quand ils approchèrent du village où ils se rendaient, Jésus fit semblant d'aller plus loin. Mais ils s'efforcèrent de le retenir: «Reste avec nous: le soir approche et déjà le jour baisse». Il entra donc pour rester avec eux. Quand il fut à table avec eux, il prit le pain, dit la bénédiction, le rompit et le leur donna. Alors leurs yeux s'ouvrirent, et ils le reconnurent, mais il disparut à leurs regards. Alors ils se dirent l'un à l'autre: «Notre coeur n'était-il pas brûlant en nous, tandis qu'il nous parlait sur la route, et qu'il nous faisait comprendre les Écritures?».

A l'instant même, ils se levèrent et retournèrent à Jérusalem. Ils y trouvèrent réunis les onze Apôtres et leurs compagnons, qui leur dirent: «C'est vrai! le Seigneur est ressuscité: il est apparu à Simon-Pierre». A leur tour, ils racontaient ce qui s'était passé sur la route, et comment ils l'avaient reconnu quand il avait rompu le pain.

L’Application

Une rencontre totalement inattendue, et qui pourtant se termine merveilleusement bien. Cette rencontre nous est offerte à tous, car Dieu vient à notre rencontre sur nos chemins, sans nous donner d'autres informations.

Tant d'années de voyage, avec ses hauts et ses bas, remplies de joie, de bonheur et de tristesse, nous courons de Jérusalem à Emmaüs, à la recherche de nos lieux de sécurité, accusant très souvent l'autre, comme le seul étranger, qui a ignoré les événements de la journée.

Regardons cet événement différemment. L'étranger est accueilli à cœur ouvert, en lui prêtant ses oreilles, en lui ouvrant la porte, en l'invitant à la table. En vérité, c'est Lui qui l'a accueilli, qui a écouté ses soucis et sa tristesse, qui a accompagné toute sa vie, lui proposant une nouvelle rencontre, lui ouvrant les secrets des écritures sacrées, le faisant enfin participer à la fraction du pain.  

Quelle joie de venir dans ce moment de vide et de désolation. Très souvent, nos vides sont comblés par la grâce de Dieu et nos désolations se transforment en un moment de joie. Pour le vivre, il faut inviter l'autre, laisser la porte ouverte, faire participer l'autre à notre vie intime.  Là, nous dirons comme ces disciples d'Emmaüs : "Notre cœur ne brûlait-il pas au-dedans de nous lorsqu'il nous parlait sur la route et nous faisait comprendre les Écritures ?"

«Notre cœur n'était-il pas brûlant en nous, tandis qu'il nous parlait sur la route, et qu'il nous faisait comprendre les Écritures?»

Abbé Luis PERALTA Hidalgo SDB

(Lisboa, Portugal)

Aujourd'hui, l'Evangile nous assure que Jésus est vivant et qu'il est toujours le centre à partir duquel se construit la communauté de ses disciples. C'est précisément dans ce contexte ecclésiastique- dans une rencontre communautaire, dans le dialogue avec nos frères qui partagent notre foi, dans l'écoute communautaire de la parole de Dieu, dans l'amour partagé par des actes fraternels et de service aux autres- que les disciples peuvent expérimenter leur rencontre avec Jésus ressuscité.

Les disciples accablé de tristes pensées, n'ont jamais imaginé que cet étranger fut précisément leur Maître qui était déjà ressuscité. Pourtant, leur cœur «brûlait» (cf. Lc 24,32), lorsqu'Il leur parlait et leur expliquait les Ecritures. La lumière de la Parole enlevait la dureté de leur cœur et «leurs yeux s'ouvrirent» (Lc 24,31).

L'icône des disciples d'Emmaüs nous sert de guide sur la longue route de nos doutes, de nos inquiétudes et parfois même de nos rudes déceptions, le divin Voyageur est toujours notre compagnon de route afin de nous faire comprendre, en interprétant les écritures, les mystères de Dieu. Quand la rencontre devient plénitude, la lumière de la Parole fait suite à la lumière qui jaillit du «Pain de vie» par lequel le Christ accomplit de manière décisive sa promesse: «Je suis avec vous tous les jours jusqu'à la fin du monde» (Mt 28,20).

«L'annonce de la résurrection du Seigneur illumine les zones d'ombre du monde dans lequel nous vivons», a expliqué le pape Ëmérite Benoît XVI.

Gospel text

(Jn 20:11-18): 

Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the Body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and then reported what he had told her.

The Application

Just like Mary, we all  would like to live again the same life which once we lived in the past, recalling our wonderful souvenirs. Mary had enjoyed it and she will call him, 'Rabboni, to re-establish the old relationship. When she was called, ‘Mary’, she rather recalled her past.

 Then the Lord invites her to discover not her Master, but her Savior. A new beginning, a new adventurous life is proposed to her.  Even if she has not fully understood the message, she will certainly announce the Good News, thus becoming the Apostle of the Apostles. We need not understand every part of life. A simple obedience to the divine will, is what expected from us. In this time, we are invited with Mary, not only to discover the Risen Christ, but also become missionaries of the Resurrection, the true witnesses of the divine works.

Action of the day: Be a witness of the Joy of the gospel.

“Mary went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’”

+ Fr. Antoni ORIOL i Tataret

(Vic, Barcelona, Spain)

Today, in the figure of Mary Magdalene we may contemplate two levels of acceptance of our Savior: the first one, imperfect; complete, the second one. According to the first one, Mary appears as the most sincere of Jesus' disciples. She follows him, unmatched Master; heroically, she sticks to Jesus, crucified because of his love; she looks for him, beyond death, buried and missing. How full of admirable and humble submission to her “Lord” are her two exclamations that, as two unique pearls, the evangelist John has kept for us: “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.” (Jn 20:13); “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” (Jn 20:15). History has seen few disciples as loyal and full of affection as Mary Magdalene.

Notwithstanding, the good news of this Tuesday, octave of Easter, far exceeds all ethical uprightness and religious faith in an admirable Jesus, but in the last instance, death, to take us to an ambience of faith in Jesus Christ Resurrected. A Jesus Christ that, in the first moment, taking her from the level of imperfect faith, asks Mary Magdalene: “Woman, why are you weeping?” (Jn 20:15) To which, with myopic eyes, she replies to as a farmer only interested in her own anxiety would; a Jesus, now, that in a second and definitive moment, calls her by her name: “Mary”! to move and shake her up with resurrection and life, that is, with Himself, Resurrected and Alive Forever. Outcome? Mary Magdalene believer and Mary Magdalene, apostle: “Mary went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’” (Jn 20:18).

It is not infrequent today to find many Christians that cannot clearly see what will come after this life and who, therefore, have doubts about Jesus' resurrection. Am I among them? On the other hand, there are too those Christians who have enough faith to follow Jesus privately, but who are afraid of apostolically proclaiming it. Do I belong to these ones? If this were the case, let us tell him, as Mary Magdalene did: “Master!”, let us cling to his feet and let us go to our brothers and tell them: —The Lord has risen and I have seen him!