Road to Emmaus

by Peggy Colf, Executive Assistant  |  04/19/2026  |  This Sunday's Reading

Today, we are reminded that Jesus is alive and is with us. We are reminded that the followers of Jesus, the apostles, and the many crowds that wanted to hear His preaching now believed in the resurrection, and they learned to live with hope and trust in what He promised. Peter explains to the people that the death and resurrection of Jesus were all part of God’s plan. Peter does this with a lot of courage and strength from the Holy Spirit. Like Peter, we too need to share the Good News. We need to let people know that Jesus is always with us through the Word and the Sacraments. Maybe we need to take the time and have the courage to look for Jesus in our daily lives. Do you feel Him when you pray, when you are at Mass, or in the people that you meet each day?

When we look for Him, feel Him, and open our hearts to Him, our faith grows stronger. When the priest raises the Eucharist high during the Consecration part of Mass, do you say silently, “ My Lord and My God, I believe that You are truly present”? If not, why not? This was something that we were taught years ago by the nuns when we made our First Communion. (Maybe I am dating myself.) Not many of us today live in reverence and fear of God; instead, we live in the here and now and don’t worry about the consequences. Years ago, we were taught the fear of God, not a revengeful God, but the fear of not being with Him for all eternity. The older you get, the more you learn about the love of God. How He forgives us if we are truly sorry for what we have done wrong. Today in the readings, we hear how the risen Jesus brings hope and understanding to those who follow him, and the importance of faith, along with the understanding of the fulfillment of God’s plan. When was the last time you opened and read your Catholic Bible? The Bible helps us understand Jesus and strengthens our faith because Jesus continues to guide, teach, and give hope to all who seek him. We believers, are encouraged to remain faithful in a world where we face so many challenges. Remember that the sacrifice of Christ set us free, and we need to live with reverence and a way of life that is holy. Our faith should not be a temporary faith but one that reflects God’s eternal plan for all of us. We need to live with hope and purpose. We need to make sure that we and others are not walking in the wrong direction, like the disciples on the road to Emmaus. We need to help our brothers and sisters understand the truth that Jesus patiently listens and teaches us. We are taught that God’s plan is revealed to us through Scripture and the breaking of the bread, which is the celebration of Mass. Mass is where we encounter Christ in both the Word and the Eucharist. When we ask, not demand, others to join us at Mass, we are helping them see Jesus as we share the Good News. You never know when you might restore hope to someone who is feeling a little down. We don’t realize how many people our lives touch that might need that little bit of hope to get them through their times of fear and discouragement. We all need to remember to open our hearts and recognize the presence of Jesus in our own lives.