We Celebrate the Great Moments of Sacred History in the Eucharist

Homily for Easter Wednesday

In today’s Gospel text, we read, “Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures.” The great moments of sacred history, reaching back to Moses and Abraham, as well as the striking ways in which Jesus responded to people’s needs and hopes with words and actions, comforting, instructing and healing – all this material has provided the basic outline for church worship and liturgical ceremonies. By processions we relive the times when Jesus walked along, for instance to Emmaus, or when the Israelites made forced marches through the desert. Through sacred meals we commemorate the manna with which God fed the Israelites in the desert and made a sacred covenant with them. In the celebration of the Eucharist, we also recall how Jesus fed the multitudes in the desert and sealed a new covenant with his disciples. Today’s Gospel text recalls the full setting of the Eucharist: first of the reading of the Scriptures and its explanation in terms of the contemporary moment, then the ritual of the sacred meal. Finally at the time of consecration and communion as they ate a meal with Jesus, Jesus physically disappeared because he was there symbolically under the form of bread.

All of life’s journeys are reactivated in the moment of liturgy and prayer. The Eucharist on its part prepares us to return to daily life with a more sensitive awareness of Jesus’ presence. By profound experience of God at prayer and of the reading of Scripture, we become all the more conscious of Jesus’ otherwise hidden presence in all the other moments of life. With renewed faith, we ought to be able to look hopefully and enthusiastically at life all about us.

The Scriptures for today ask some important questions. Do we believe that Jesus can take our most crippled moments and transform them into great possibilities? Do we believe that Jesus can work miracles today? Are we able to slough off discouragement and frustration and vigorously turn ourselves around and return to the holy city of divine accomplishments?

Each time we celebrate the Eucharist, we remember the covenant that God has made with us. We call to mind that God keeps us in mind in every moment of every day wherever we are. Therefore, we sing with the psalmist today and recall that our hearts are constantly seeking God.