EASTER: THE INVITATION TO DEVELOP A LISTENING HEART

They were still talking about all this when Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you!’ … He then opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘So you see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this.’ (Luke 24:35-48)

Handed on to his Apostles by Jesus, this word has lost none of its power in the course of the ages. We have experienced the fact that because it issued from the mouth of him who is himself eternal life, it is always spirit and life.”

Eugene de Mazenod, Pastoral Letter 1844

Today we can understand in a deeper way the experience of the disciples locked in the upper room because they were afraid. The risen Jesus appeared to them and opened their minds to his presence in the Scriptures. Let us invite the Risen Jesus to penetrate the walls of our “upper room” today and give him time to open our minds to understand how present he is whenever we read the Word of God.

Our OMI Rule of Life, totally impregnated by the spirit of St Eugene can be applied to every disciple today:

The Word of God nourishes our spiritual life and apostolate. We will not only study it diligently but also develop a listening heart, so that we may come to a deeper knowledge of the Saviour whom we love and wish to reveal to the world. This immersion in God’s Word will enable us to understand better the events of history in the light of faith. (OMI Constitutions and Rules, C.33)