He opened their minds to understand the scriptures

THURSDAY 16 APRIL (Lk 24,35-48)

Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. Christ is the “real fruit and the true fruit” of Scripture. Christ’s ignorance is ignorance of Scriptures. All Scriptures are fulfilled in Christ. Without Christ Jesus, Scripture is a dry trunk. Branches, leaves, fruits are missing to it. Who must give knowledge of Scriptures is always the Holy Spirit. Who must ask for the grace of the knowledge of Scriptures is every disciple of Jesus. Once obtained and while obtaining the knowledge of Scriptures he must help his brothers so that they too can enter his very knowledge. Here is how the pious man prays for knowledge of the Law or the Word of the Lord: “Deal bountifully with Your servant, That I may live and keep Your word. Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. I am a stranger in the earth; Do not hide Your commandments from me. My soul is crushed with longing After Your ordinances at all times. You rebuke the arrogant, the cursed, Who wander from Your commandments. Take away reproach and contempt from me, For I observe Your testimonies. Even though princes sit and talk against me, Your servant meditates on Your statutes. 

Your testimonies also are my delight; They are my counselors.  My soul cleaves to the dust; Revive me according to Your word. I have told of my ways, and You have answered me; Teach me Your statutes. Make me understand the way of Your precepts, So I will meditate on Your wonders. My soul weeps because of grief; Strengthen me according to Your word. Remove the false way from me, And graciously grant me Your law. I have chosen the faithful way; I have placed Your ordinances before me. I cling to Your testimonies; O Lord, do not put me to shame! I shall run the way of Your commandments, For You will enlarge my heart. Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, And I shall observe it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may observe Your law And keep it with all my heart. Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, For I delight in it. Incline my heart to Your testimonies And not to dishonest gain. Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, And revive me in Your ways. Establish Your word to Your servant, As that which produces reverence for You. Turn away my reproach which I dread, For Your ordinances are good. Behold, I long for Your precepts; Revive me through Your righteousness”  (Ps 119 (118), 17-40). Today the Christian not only he does not pray to have the knowledge of Scriptures, he has also come to despise them, reducing them to lies, falsehoods, deception for himself and for others. The thought of the world has conquered his heart.

Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread. While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them. He said to them, “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. And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.

What Jesus works in the Upper Room, the Christian, and especially the Apostle and the minister of the Word, must do it in the Church of God today. A Church strong in the knowledge of the Law of the Lord, of his Word, is a Church that does not fear no drought of heresies or storm of errors. She is like a tree planted along water courses. It will always produce the fruits in time. Indeed, if she remains planted on the river of the Holy Spirit that flows from the side of Christ, she will produce a fruit for each month. If she lacks the comfort of Scriptures, she will be like the disciples closed in the Upper Room.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints ensure that the Church is always planted in Scriptures.