Love Alone

O Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, thou didst promise to abide with us always. Thou dost call all Christians to draw near and partake of Thy Body and Blood. But our sin has divided us and we have no power to partake of Thy Holy Eucharist together. We confess this our sin and we pray Thee, forgive us and help us to serve the ways of reconciliation, according to Thy Will. Kindle our hearts with the fire of the Holy Spirit. Give us the spirit of Wisdom and faith, of daring and of patience, of humility and firmness, of love and of repentance, through the prayers of the most blessed Mother of God and of all the saints. Amen. [Sergej Bulgakov]

Doing Lectio Divina today in community with next Sunday's Gospel (Lc 24: 33-49), I was struck by one phrase in particular, "…  he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures."  What is at once striking is the fact that prior to their journey back to Jerusalem, the two disciples of Emmaus had met Jesus on their way, fleeing as they were, away from Jerusalem, disheartened by Jesus' death. But in such dramatic state, they are given the grace of receiving Jesus (without them knowing) whilst he explained to them the meaning of the Sacred Scriptures. Their opened eyes during the sharing of bread, later that night, saw that the one to be explaining this to them was indeed the Risen Christ himself.  On their return to Jerusalem, the community of believers that welcomes these two disciples had received the same grace as them, for, it is said, Jesus opened their minds for the meaning of the Sacred Scriptures.  I was reminded at once of a most defining mo