From Complaint to Testimony: Retelling the Story (HOMILY FOR THE 3RD SUNDAY OF EASTER YEAR A APRIL 2023

 HOMILY ON THE 3RD SUNDAY OF EASTER, YEAR A

Acts 2:14.22-33; Ps.16; 1Peter 1:17-21; Luke 24:13-35

“ _Lord Jesus, open the Scriptures to us” (cf.Lk.24:32a)_ 

From Complaint to Testimony: Retelling the Story

The message of today’s readings is: if we would take our complaint to the Word of God, they will become testimonies. Complaint and testimony are both stories but with different endings. No matter how beautiful the beginning of the story of a complaint may, it is surely going to have a sorrowful end. While no matter how sad the story of a testimony may be, a joyful end is sure. After the death of Christ, while he was in the grave, everything about Him became a story that was told in the whole of Jerusalem. For those who had closely associated with Jesus, this story was told in form of a complaint because their hope for following Jesus was being dashed. What they expected was never realized; and now that the story had ended with Jesus’ death, it became a complaint.

This was the state of the two disciples as they travelled to Emmaus in the gospel reading of today. They shared their disappointment with each other. The story of the empty tomb only made the complaint worse. Usually complaints are associated with confusion. One who is confused is not fully in control of him/herself especially the utterances; a confused person is half-conscious. So we can understand how these two disciples did not recognize Jesus as he walked with them towards Emmaus. You will remember that Mary Magdalene was also in this confused state when she went to the tomb early in the morning. The confusion prevented her from recognizing the Lord but supposed him to be a gardener. The state of confusion comes when man tries all by himself to understand and make meaning of all the vicissitudes of life. How many of life’s problems can we really understand? How many can we solve? How many temptations can we overcome? Who can we trust? How do we recognize a good person? What best way can we live?

Today, many of us are in the state of the men travelling to Emmaus. We are like the sorrowful Mary Magdalene at the tomb of Jesus; we are like the fearful disciples who hid themselves after the death of their Master; we are like Martha and Mary who felt disappointed that Jesus did not come on time. There is so much complaint everywhere. One truth we should know today is that only Jesus can change the narrative. He changes the narrative by retelling the story not as a complaint but as a testimony; He changes the narrative by showing us that what we thought was the end is not the end at all. He changes the narrative by bringing the story to a joyful end so that our disappointment melts away. This is exactly what Jesus did as he walked along with the two disciples.

He first allowed them to tell him the story the way they understood it before he retold the story in the best way. When we tell Jesus our story, we are praying; when Jesus retells us the story, our prayers get answered. Jesus retold the story by opening their eyes to the Scriptures. If they had been more scripture oriented, they would have understood that what they thought was the end was not never the end. From this, we learn to look at things/situations more with the lenses of the Word of God. Stop evaluating situations with your reasoning and the experiences of others in the past. That it was so for others, does not mean it must be so for you. It is the Word of God that gives us real hope in all life’s situation. The Word of God assures us that God is still in control. God’s Word opens our eyes to the possibility of that we think is impossible. Jesus himself took the disciples through the Word of God as the antidote for changing every complaint into testimony.

In the first reading, Peter told the story of Jesus to the people as a testimony. Before now, the disciples were gathered fearfully in the upper room. Their story was one of complaint. But after the Holy Spirit descended on them, they received gifts that enabled them to understand the same story as a testimony. Thus, they become bold and proud of the story they were once ashamed of. If Jesus’ story had ended in the grave, it would have been one of complaint; but since it extended to the resurrection, it has become a testimony.

Beloved, we need to fan into flame our zeal and love for the Word of God. Daily reading and meditating on God’s Word should constitute the routine of every Christian. The Word of God exposes us to the mind and the voice of God. So, you should have a bible; you should draw out a plan that enables you cover the whole of the bible in about 12 months. You should have other spiritual books that aids reflection on the Word of God, such as homily books. Whatever you spend on these is never a waste of time and resources. In this age of digitalization, it becomes all too easy to access such materials. The goal is not necessarily to be able to quote every part of the bible; the goal is to know the Word of God. Meditating on God’s Word helps us to purify our thoughts so that we can overcome bad habits.

After explaining the scriptures to the two disciples, Jesus broke bread with them. It is quite striking that it was at the breaking of bread that their eyes were opened to recognize Jesus. The bread is the Word of God made flesh. It is the same Word but it gives different nourishment when read from when consumed. So, if we are reading God’s Word but not being nourished by it at the Eucharistic banquet, we are not yet allowing our eyes to be fully opened to recognize Jesus. Reading God’s Word does not suffice for receiving it in Holy Communion; and receiving it in Holy Communion does not suffice for reading the bible. Jesus wants us to be nourished in both ways. Both manner of nourishment is the path of life that the psalmist of today asked of the Lord.

The second reading tells that it is through Christ that we have confidence in God. Today, this should be the content of our confidence: _By the Word of God, my complaints shall turn to testimonies. The ending of my story shall be Joyful.