“Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” – Luke 24:29

       Dusk, the darkest part of twilight, is the saddest part of the day for Mom. She told me that she’d purposely leave the office early in the afternoon or late in the evening but never at dusk. She didn’t want to see the day end.

       I can’t recall having seen a dusky sky so I googled for images. One was a photo of a shoreline where the sun seemed to be hiding behind the foliage, its bright light subdued to a golden hue. It did make me feel a tinge of sadness. Like Mom, I didn’t want to be on my own as darkness overshadows light.

       The two disciples who invited Jesus to stay with them must have felt the same way. Even if they didn’t recognize Him, dusk was upon them and maybe they were concerned about their guest having to continue His journey at night. Then at the breaking of the bread, it dawned upon them. It was Jesus. He stayed and kept the two disciples company.

       In darkness and in light, at dusk until dawn, Jesus is with us. We only have to look closely to see Him in the dark moments of our sorrows and in the stark brightness of our joys. True to His name, Emmanuel, He promises to stay with us every moment of our lives. Dina Pecaña (dpecana@yahoo.com)

Reflection: “Dusk is the time when men whisper of matters about which they remain silent in the full light of the sun.” (Simon Raven)

Risen Lord, remain with me as the day gives way to dusk. Guide and protect me through the night that I may witness once again Your light the next day.

St. George, martyr, patron of England, pray for us.

There are times in our Christian lives when we do not know how to respond to a particular situation. This is OK as long as we do not despair. I am sure the Apostles faced impossible situations all the time. Here, Peter and John demonstrate what we should do — have faith and call on the Holy Spirit to transform the situation. If we learn to do this more often, we will begin to see more miracles, as it will be the grace of God at work and not just our own strength and power.

1 Peter and John were going up to the temple area for the three o’clock hour of prayer. 2 And a man crippled from birth was carried and placed at the gate of the temple called “the Beautiful Gate” every day to beg for alms from the people who entered the temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms. 4 But Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 He paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Peter said, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk.” 7 Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong. 8 He leaped up, stood, and walked around, and went into the temple with them, walking and jumping and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the one who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with amazement and astonishment at what had happened to him.

R: Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord.

1 Give thanks to the Lord, invoke his name; make known among the nations his deeds. 2 Sing to him, sing his praise, proclaim all his wondrous deeds. (R) 3 Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord! 4 Look to the Lord in his strength; seek to serve him constantly. (R) 6 You descendants of Abraham, his servants, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! 7 He, the Lord, is our God; throughout the earth his judgments prevail. (R) 8 He remembers forever his covenant which he made binding for a thousand generations—9 which he entered into with Abraham and by his oath to Isaac. (R)

The death of Jesus without His resurrection is cause for despair. There is no reason to have any hope if death has the final say. But it does not. This is what we celebrate at Easter. No matter how hidden Jesus may be in our life experience, He is there in His resurrected form. Do you believe this? If you do not, then you will easily fall into despair. If you believe that Jesus rose from the dead, then you need never despair again as you will know that God has everything in the palm of His hand.

This is the day the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.

13 That very day, the first day of the week, two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, 14 and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. 15 And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, 16 but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” They stopped, looking downcast. 18 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?” 19 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, 20 how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. 21 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. 22 Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning 23 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. 24 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.” 25 And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures. 28 As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. 29 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. 30 And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. 31 With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. 32 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?” 33 So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the Eleven and those with them 34 who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” 35 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.

think: If you believe that Jesus rose from the dead, then you need never despair again as you will know that God has everything in the palm of His hand.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Numbers 10-12

WHILE THEY WERE CONVERSING

A poster, which became a popular item for people looking for a gift to give friends and relatives for their housewarming, goes: “Jesus Christ is the Unseen Guest of This House, the Unseen Listener in Every Conversation.” In a way, this statement applies to the experience of the two disciples in today’s Gospel. The Risen Lord Jesus was the mysterious companion in their journey and the unrecognized guru in their walking conversation.

       Through the conversation, which the two disciples have with Jesus, they later came to realize that their hearts were burning within them. Indeed, Jesus, who is Himself “The Word Incarnate,” served during His years of public ministry with words — words that gave back life, words that brought healing, words that restored peace, words that forgave, words that even nature obeyed. But even in our day and age, Jesus continues His ministry through His Word (biblical and liturgical) and through the sacraments. This is one way that He lives among us even today. When His Gospel is read and proclaimed, the Lord Jesus — whom we profess — is Himself present.

       1. Let us every day and in various occasions of life — pleasant or unpleasant — read and proclaim the Gospel. Through the Gospel narrations and teachings, Jesus becomes a guest in our joys and in our moments of sorrow. Let us draw comfort, strength, healing and inspiration from Him who is risen and alive among us.

       2. Let our conversations be Spirit-filled. Let us invoke Jesus’ abiding presence in our meetings, in our table fellowships, in our dialogues. Let us invite Jesus to draw near us, so that peace and joy may always be a fulfilling fruit of every human encounter. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

REFLECTION QUESTION: Resolve to be Jesus’ herald in every event that you grace. Recall an event where you experienced Jesus as very much part of a human conversation and meeting. How did you sense that presence?

Lord, help me to take every occasion as an opportunity to proclaim Your Word.