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“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you,
that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the
prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds
to understand the Scriptures. Luke 24:44–45
Have you allowed God to open your mind? When you read through the
Scriptures, are you able to comprehend the hidden yet glorious
mysteries contained within them? The Scriptures are not only a
historical book we interpret through the use of our intelligence
alone. There is a layer of meaning within them that no human mind
can penetrate without the assistance of grace.
Today’s resurrection appearance in Luke’s Gospel took place later
in the day on Easter Sunday. That morning, our resurrected Lord
appeared in physical form to some of the holy women and then to
Simon Peter. In the afternoon, Jesus appeared to two of the
disciples as they journeyed to the town of Emmaus, several miles
from Jerusalem. Those disciples did not recognize Jesus until He
opened their minds and revealed Himself in the “breaking of the
bread,” foreshadowing the Eucharist. After that appearance, those
two disciples returned to Jerusalem to tell the eleven and the
other disciples about their encounter. It was during that
conversation, behind closed doors, that Jesus appeared to all of
them Easter evening, except for Thomas who was absent.
Jesus first said to them, “Peace be with you.” This was no ordinary
greeting. In Hebrew, Jesus said, “Shalom.” The shalom Jesus spoke
of was an imparting of His grace that brought about the tranquility
that those who are united to God experience. The peace Jesus spoke
of and imparted flowed from the power of His victory over sin and
death, by His Passion and Resurrection. That same shalom is given
to us when we worthily and fruitfully participate in the
sacraments. Through these gifts, especially the Eucharist and
Reconciliation, we receive the transforming power of the Paschal
Mystery: His life, death, and Resurrection, bestowed through the
Holy Spirit.
Once the grace of peace was bestowed, Jesus instructed them to
receive it without fear. As this peace rested upon them, Jesus was
able to give them another gift: “Then he opened their minds to
understand the Scriptures.”
Throughout Jesus’ public ministry, He spoke about the necessity of
His Passion, Death, and Resurrection. He pointed to the prophecies
and promises about Him that were contained within the Law of Moses,
the Prophets, and the Psalms. Until that moment, Jesus’ teaching
had not fully penetrated their minds. They heard His perfect
sermons, but the full meaning of what He said eluded them. During
this resurrection appearance, however, they understood, as Jesus
granted them the supernatural gift of Understanding—a gift of the
Holy Spirit, who illuminates divine truths and helps us to perceive
God’s mysteries in a way we could never achieve on our own.
Our Lord wants to open your mind, just as He did for His disciples
that Easter day. Too often, we go through life in a state of
confusion. We easily misinterpret our joys and struggles, leaving
us on our own to make sense of our lives. Jesus wants to remedy
that. He wants us to understand everything as He sees it. He
invites us to receive His peace, His shalom, that brings order and
tranquility to our lives and unites us in communion with God and
others. From there, the Holy Spirit opens our minds to see
everything through the lens of divine truth.
Reflect today on how God might be calling you to live in this peace
and understanding, particularly by fostering a deeper relationship
with Him in the sacraments, in prayer, and in daily reflection on
the Scriptures. By receiving the grace of shalom and an
understanding of divine truths, we are strengthened for our mission
to witness to the Resurrection and to share Christ’s love with a
world in need of His peace.
Lord of all Understanding, there are many things in life that
leave me confused. I often judge my hopes, joys, sorrows, and
challenges by a worldly perspective that is devoid of Your Truth.
Please grant me Your perfect peace so that I can rest in You. As
Your peace, Your shalom, brings tranquility to my life, open my
mind to know You and to understand everything from Your
perspective, so that through me, You can bring Your peace and truth
to the world. Jesus, I trust in You.
Image: The Appearance of Christ at the Cenacle by James
Tissot
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