Ps16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11
1 Pt 1:17-21
Lk 24:13-35
In the year 1984, there was a movie that was released and forever changed the way people looked at me, especially my classmates. But it was not until I was in the third or fourth grade did my classmates get to watch this movie. I had pretty normal friends; friends that I played with in my back alley kicking soccer balls back and forth and using our garage doors as goals. But when my friends got to watch that movie, they started acting strange around me. I didn’t watch very many movies back then because my parents didn’t know. But this movie had an unmistakable gesture, a tell-tale movement of the body that not only showed that you watched it, but that you embraced and embodied everything it stood for. Now if I do this gesture, you too will know what I’m talking about…. It’s the universal sign and if you don’t get it, you have some catching up to do!!!
Of course the movie that I'm talking about is “The Karate Kid” and because this movie came out… every single one of my classmates thought I knew karate or some sort of martial art. As if all Asians, by their very DNA, were genetically predisposed to know kung fu. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to be thinking in your minds: “Yeah, I bet Fr. Reuben knows Shaolin kung fu… I mean he even *looks* like a Buddhist monk.” Sorry to disappoint… I don’t know any martial arts. And you shouldn’t be stereotyping people! ;) What was so fascinating to me about this movie was how Ralph Macchio or “Daniel-san” was learning and training under Mr. Miyagi. He was so excited that his new sensei or teacher would teach him how to fight off a Darth of bullies that were beating up him. But all Mr. Miyagi instructed him to do was to Force him into menial work and chores: painting the fence, sweeping the floor, “wax on, wax off.” Daniel was not only frustrated, but angry at Mr. Miyagi. Daniel was all too eager to start breaking wooden blocks and concrete bricks; retaliating and fighting. Finally, Daniel blows up and yells at his master. And what happens next? Mr. Miyagi reveals that he had been training this young padawan all along – that all the sore muscles and disciplined work actually came to fruition. His training was complete.
In the Gospel today, what the two disciples of Jesus had experienced was nothing short of unpacking the whole entirety of Salvation History from the beginning of time into a little seven mile journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus. These two were completely dazed and confused at what had happened. Remember that this passage takes place on Easter Sunday. Only two days prior was their leader, their Lord and Master brutally tortured and crucified, dying a horrible painful death. And now these events of Easter are still very puzzling… what does this all mean? Their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. Only when the scriptures were unpacked, the milestones marked, and bread broken did it all become revealed: their eyes were opened and they recognized him. And they remarked in amazement to each other… “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”
So you might be wondering what does “The Karate Kid” have to do with the Gospel? Well, let’s think about this Daniel-san. The disciples were told certain things and taught certain things; and having inherited all of the writings and teachings of the Jewish faith, they knew and were expecting that the Messiah would come and save them… that a new kingdom – one as grand as old King David’s kingdom. However, they did not put what they had learned into proper context – the context of the Incarnation: that God Himself would come down, to take on flesh and blood, to lay down His life, not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb. The disciples were expecting another King David, but what they got was something even better: the Son of God! That the patriarch David died and was buried… but God raised this Jesus of this we are all witnesses.
The Old Testament scriptures recount the theological history of events of the Jewish people and out of habits of what they had experienced in the past was what they were expecting to see and experience in the present and future. The people tried to fit Christ into THEIR narrative, but they missed the fact that He is THE NARRATIVE. He’s the one writing this story and people have been misinterpreting ever since. "Daniel-san" also experienced and knew what manual labor was in the past, but with Mr. Miyagi those habitual actions are transformed into the art of self-defense and self-actualization. The disciples’ hearts were burning with a desire that they knew unconsciously that this Man was speaking the Truth!!! And so their very souls resonated and glowed for God, but yet not able to see.
My brothers and sisters, it’s time to start our training!! Our bodies and our souls are equipped to receive God’s love; your souls can be burning too! And you can tell when you are not because you are frustrated, confused, and angry at God. The same menial labor worked day in and day out seems pointless and hopeless because our hearts have not experienced the Resurrection, our eyes have not been opened in the breaking of the Bread. Our Gospel says that our Lord vanished from their sight – where did He go? I don’t know about you, but my mind immediately jumps to the bread that was just blessed and broken – the Holy Eucharist! When you receive God – the Holy Eucharist – do you know who you are receiving into your body? Do you believe that this is substantially, essentially the body, blood, soul and divinity of our Lord? There are people that say that they don’t get anything out of Mass, that it is boring, and the same thing over and over again – that nothing changes…. Well guess what? If earth is preparation for Heaven, and Mass is heaven on Earth and you don’t get anything out of it.... then there’s always another place you can go after you die!!! It’s your choice. Do not let yourself get angry about the failures and failings of things happening in life. Do not let the same thing over and over again frustrate you and get confused. But rather put everything into its proper context (get out of yourself) and your hang-ups, open your eyes, and see WHO is being revealed.
