On the Road to Emmaus

Today's Gospel was Luke 24:13-35, the story of the disciples meeting the risen Christ on the road to Emmaus.  It got me thinking about my spiritual journey through the past several years of trial and suffering how early on depression, anger, and negative emotions were common, long lasting, hard to shake and how infrequently I fight depression or dwell on the negative now.  How the way I deal with things and the way I am more joyful now than many think there is reason for me to be...  How there are still times where I do get caught up on the things that are wrong or feeling depressed or self-pity or other negative emotions and how I try to pull myself from them, with varying degrees of success versus what actually has caused lasting change or what really does give me hope and the ability to be joyful and to accept God's plan...  And how it was right there in today's Gospel, it was the reason I got up and left my desk to be at Mass at 12:05 instead of at the burger place across the street eating lunch...

The disciples were downcast walking along the road.  Even when they met Jesus and started talking to Him and He was explaining Scripture to them they remained downcast.  Yes, they recognized a burning in their heart, but they were downcast and focused on the negative and were not responding to Jesus they way they logically should have.  They even welcomed Jesus into their home, invited Him to stay with them but there was no change in their outlook, attitude or behavior.  Jesus the Nazarene had been crucified and what they had hoped for was lost in that so, they remained downcast, lacking zeal or real fervor for life...  But then, he took the bread, blessed, it, broke it, and gave it to them, and they immediately recognized Him and instantly they were transformed, they ran back to Jerusalem, to the rest, just like Mary ran to Elizabeth after her receiving Jesus into her body, and joyfully spread the Gospel, with vigor, and excitement.

I can look back and see that sometimes Scripture, prayer, inspirational reading, good Catholic advice or conversation, good theological wisdom, and other devotions, practices or focusing of my mind on Jesus bears fruit.  But, sometimes it is dry or doesn't help or the help is very short lasting.  The biggest, most lasting impact on my faith, hope and charitable outlook I can see tied directly to more frequently receiving the Eucharist.  Taking Christ into my body, that sacramental union.  

It is unmistakable to me, the more I participate in the taking, blessing, breaking, and giving of the bread, the direct, physical participation in His body and blood, the more joyful and easy life is for me.  It's easier to be downcast when I am relying on prayer, Scripture, talk about faith, just trying to put myself in the presence of God than when I actually physically touch Him and make Him part of me and me part of Him in a way that transcends any other devotion, prayer, or faithful practice...

Like those disciples on the road to Emmaus.  Even Jesus Himself could be walking with them, telling them everything that was true and should have brought joy to their hearts, but it wasn't until they received the Eucharist that they were able to recognize and respond with the joy He desires be in us...

For two years now, I've made a personal commitment to attend daily Mass at least once a week.  The last several months I have challenged myself to try and make that twice a week.  There have even been weeks when I have made it three or four times.  And I can unmistakably see that the more frequently I attend Mass and receive the Eucharist, the easier life is, the more joyful I am, the more positive and resilient I am in the face of challenges and difficulties...

I think it's time to re-assess my personal commitment to daily Mass, time to commit to twice weekly and challenge myself to thrice weekly...