April 23, 2025 // Bishop

At Mass for Pope Francis, Bishop Reflects on the Road to Emmaus

Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades

 

The following homily was given by Bishop Rhoades during a Mass for Pope Francis on Wednesday of the Octave of Easter, April 23, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Fort Wayne.

When I saw that the Gospel for today, Easter Wednesday, was the account of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, I thought how perfect it is for this Mass since it was one of Pope Francis’ favorite Gospel stories. He reflected and preached on the Emmaus story often. In this homily, I will share some of Pope Francis’ reflections on this Gospel.

As you know, Pope Francis was very insightful and down-to-earth in his preaching. It was clear that he prayed over the readings before he preached, and he encouraged bishops and priests to always pray with the Scriptures.

I think the Emmaus story impacted the way Pope Francis led the Church as universal pastor. He often talked about going out and meeting people on the road, listening to them and accompanying them in their life’s journey. He called the whole Church to do this in its mission of evangelization. This is what Jesus did when He met the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. They had left Jerusalem disheartened. They were not only disappointed and disillusioned by Jesus’ crucifixion; they were devastated by what happened on Good Friday. They had hoped in Jesus as the Messiah and were terribly disappointed. They said to Jesus, “We were hoping that Jesus of Nazareth would be the one who would redeem Israel.” But they lost that hope when they saw Jesus condemned to death and crucified, and they did not believe the women who had told them and the other disciples that Jesus was alive.

While accompanying them, Jesus used what Pope Francis called a “therapy of hope.” Jesus, a therapist! This was typical Pope Francis – very original! What did he mean by this expression “therapy of hope?” It means listening to and accompanying people where they are at, and then, by opening the Scriptures to them, by quietly leading them to the truth, restoring their hope. That’s what Jesus did. He explained the Scriptures to the two disciples, beginning with Moses and all the prophets, what they had written about the Messiah as one who would suffer and then enter into His glory. Jesus’ explanation captured their attention. This stranger’s message so intrigued them that they urged Him to stay with them that evening.

The disciples on the road to Emmaus invited Jesus to stay with them, and Jesus did. He sat down to eat with them. When Jesus blessed the bread, broke it, and gave it to them, as He had done at the Last Supper when instituting the Eucharist, the disciples recognized that this stranger was Jesus. Their eyes were opened. And Jesus vanished from their sight. The two disciples were filled with joy. Their hope was restored. They set out at once and returned to Jerusalem to share with the apostles what had taken place on their walk to Emmaus and how they recognized the Risen Jesus in the breaking of the bread.

Like previous popes, Pope Francis spoke about how the Emmaus story is “a symbol of our journey of faith: the Scripture and the Eucharist are the indispensable elements for encountering the Lord.” But Pope Francis gave us an additional insight. He stressed that in our mission, we need to follow Jesus’ example of accompanying people on their journey and lead them to Jerusalem – or lead them back to Jerusalem if they have left. Pope Francis saw Jerusalem as a symbol for the Church, where the apostles are. And so, Pope Francis asked: “Are we still a Church capable of warming hearts? A Church capable of leading people back to Jerusalem? Of bringing them home? Jerusalem is where our roots are: Scripture, catechesis, sacraments, community, friendship with the Lord, Mary, and the apostles. … Are we still able to speak of these roots in a way that will revive a sense of wonder at their beauty?”

I believe the teachings of Pope Francis on the Emmaus story get to the heart of his vision for the Church. It’s a beautiful vision that, I hope and pray, remains with us. It is a vision that calls us to be messengers and witnesses of hope in the world, for everyone! How often I heard Pope Francis say at the synod in Italian, “Tutti, tutti, tutti,” and in Spanish, “todos, todos, todos.” In English, “everyone, everyone, everyone.” The Holy Father did not want anyone left on the side of the road, including those most often left on the side of the road: the poor, the marginalized, the forgotten – the unborn, the elderly, migrants, refugees, the poor. He reminded us from the beginning of his papacy that “the Church is called to be the house of the Father, with doors always wide open,” “a Church which goes forth,” calling all of us to be missionary disciples.

At this Mass, offered for Pope Francis, we pray that the Lord will grant him eternal joy and peace, that the Risen Jesus will welcome him into the house of the Father where He has gone to prepare a place for us. We pray that St. Peter, whose office he held, and St. Francis, whose name he chose, and the Blessed Virgin Mary, whom he loved and in whose church he will be laid to rest, will intercede for Pope Francis, and that the holy angels will carry him to the city of the new Jerusalem!