"Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him." The disciples on the road to Emmaus had already heard reports about Jesus' resurrection. It was at the forefront of their minds, but in spite of this, they did not recognize Jesus when he stood right before them. Why not? Perhaps because they weren't looking for him. Maybe they didn't really believe that he was alive. Or it could be that his appearance was not the same as it had been before. Whatever the case, it's very interesting to learn that it was actually while celebrating the Eucharist that these men finally realized who was right there with them! "He was made known to them in the breaking of bread."

"Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them,'Peace be with you.'" This greeting from the resurrected Christ must have been a profound one for the disciples.They were living behind locked doors "for fear of the Jews," which really meant for fear of their own lives. They had seen what happened to Jesus and didn't want to face the same fate. Imagine the paralysis of this fear, keeping them locked inside a prison of their own making.But even the walls and the locks could not keep Jesus out! He came "although the doors were locked" and brought them a message of peace. And then their fear turned to gladness for they "rejoiced when they saw the Lord."

"Then they went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed." The two Marys were in for a surprise. They had come, as usual, to do the ritual anointing of their dead friend's body. But on their arrival, not only was there an earthquake, there was also an angel whose "appearance was like lightning" and whose "clothing was white as snow."The brave guards were so scared they "became like dead men," but the women managed to stay on their feet and hear the words of the angel. Guess what! Jesus isn't here. He's been raised from the dead. Now go share the good news!No wonder these women were feeling a mixture of emotions!They were frightened by these incredible supernatural events, but overjoyed that Jesus was alive again.

"Peter said to him in reply, 'Though all may have their faith in you shaken, mine will never be.'" Peter thought pretty highly of his faith. On the eve of Christ's death he professed, in essence, that he was more committed to Jesus than anyone else. And yet, we know how the story turns out: when put to the test in the moment that mattered, Peter "began to curse and to swear, 'I do not know the man.'"

On this Palm Sunday, we hear many stories of betrayal. The crowds , who once hailed Jesus with "hosannas," will soon be chanting, "Let him be crucified!" Judas, who was counted among the closest companions of the Lord, turns him over to the chief priests for thirty pieces of silver. And Peter falls short in the moment of truth, and then "went out and began to weep bitterly."

"The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth." His heart had started to beat again, breaking the somber silence of the tomb. His lungs were breathing the air once more. The blood had begun to flow through his veins f or the first time in four days. Lazarus rose from the grave, a living paradox: literally a dead man walking. Having done nothing by his own power, he once again knew life: a new life. This resurrection at the hands of Christ was an undeniable testimony to a power even greater than death.

"Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him." The prevailing theology of Jesus' time led people to believe that any kind of disability was a punishment from God. So Jesus' disciples assumed that the man born blind suffered that affliction because of someone's sin: either his parents' or his own. But Jesus sets the record straight. Not only did he reject the idea that the blindness was a punishment for sin; he also went so far as to suggest that this very trial was an opportunity for God's glory to be revealed.

And sure enough, it was. Jesus worked a miracle of healing for the man who followed his directions and "came back able to see." So it was that the "works of God" became "visible" through a man who was blind! But, ironically, not everyone had the eyes to see the miracle. The Gospel tells us that "there was a division among them" as they debated whether this remarkable healing was really an act of God.

"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshippers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth." Are we true worshippers? Do we praise and honor God the Father in the way Jesus described to the Samaritan woman at the well? It seems that this woman was caught up in logistics about WHERE to worship more than HOW to worship. Her people worshiped in one place, the Jews in another. She was puzzled by this and, even though she could see that Jesus was a prophet, she challenged him because she thought perhaps he wasn't a true worshipper of God. The Lord's response to her was to shift the focus away from a particular physical location for honoring God. In essence, he told her that what mattered was that we worship God by being filled with his Spirit, "the Spirit of truth, [who] will guide you to all truth," as Jesus will say later in John's Gospel (16:13). This woman, whose life was marked by such a sad string of broken relationships, had been missing the point.

"When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid." Peter, James, and John already knew Jesus. They had been following him, learning from him, watching him for quite some time. But what took place before their eyes at the Transfiguration was unlike anything they had yet witnessed. This was not just a miracle or a message: this was a supernatural vision. When Jesus' face suddenly "shone like the sun" and two ancient prophets appeared and spoke, and a heavenly voice announced the true identity of their friend and teacher, these three disciples nearly fainted in fear. It must have been too glorious, too strange, too astonishing to handle.

But Jesus "came and touched them" to rouse them from their prostration. He told them, "Rise, and do not be afraid." What a beautiful moment. The Lord realized that his friends were overwhelmed. He had compassion on their meager ability to comprehend what was really going on. He allowed them to participate in this moment of revelation to help them understand who he was, but he still understood who THEY were--imperfect human beings who could not be expected to completely understand the ways of God.

"Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?" The anti-anxiety message Jesus gives us today is not just ancient pop psychology. The point of this passage isn't to give us a "strategy" for coping with our fears. Jesus is proposing something much more profound. He is teaching us how to eliminate our fears altogether. To put it simply, he tells us to get our priorities straight. This whole reflection on worrying culminates in the instruction to "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness." That's where our freedom lies. When we concern ourselves with being in right relationship with God, our other concerns melt away. Deep down, we know that this life isn't about bodily health or comfort. Those things don't last anyway. But freedom from fretting is more than simply thinking about how it'll all work out--eventually--in heaven. No. Jesus offers us more. He insists that our heavenly Father will provide for us, here and now. We only need to take him at his word. That means sticking to our part of the bargain by putting God first.

"Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow." Today Jesus continues the powerful teaching of his Sermon on the Mount. Typical of this famous sermon, here he urges us to see things in a new way, specifically regarding situations and people who bother us. First, he tells us not to seek revenge. Instead, we are to demonstrate incredible generosity. Then, he instructs us to "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." These instructions don't come naturally to most of us. We are much more inclined to want to get even with those who cause us to suffer, and to wish ill for those who have hurt us.

"Whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Jesus presents two paths for us today: we can break his commandments or obey them. And the result corresponds to our choice. If we decide not to follow God's guidelines, we will not enjoy the fullness of the kingdom of heaven. But if we choose otherwise, eternity will look much brighter for us!

"You are the light of the world." Speaking to his followers, Jesus tells them of the influence they are meant to have. Like the seasoning that gives food its flavor, they are to be "the salt of the earth" and like a lamp on a lampstand that "gives light to all in the house." Clearly, their influence on the people around them is meant to be positive and substantial. But what is the source of this irreplaceable influence? Elsewhere in the Gospels, Jesus declares that HE is "the light of the world" (cf. Jn 8:12). So when he tells his disciples that "your light must shine before others," he is speaking about the light that comes from following him, from believing in him, from living their lives for him and with him. The light of Christ brightens the world, showing us the truth and meaning of our existence. And to the extent that we have that light in our hearts, it naturally spreads out to impact those around us.