Acts 2:14, 22-33 Psalm Ps 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11 1 Pt 1:17-21 Lk 24:13-35
Planning sets us apart from the other creatures
One of the things that set us human beings apart from all the other creatures on this planet is our capacity to plan. As humans we have the ability to think about what has happened to us, or to those around us and to plan so as to improve our lives.
Dogs and Cats Planning?
Think about this. When was the last time you saw your dog sitting down with the estate planner to write out a will, or your cat planning out her retirement, or your canary bird thinking about a business plan for being cute and sweet sounding?
Humans plan all the time
Animals don’t – but we humans do. While it would be silly to see your dog sitting down with the Financial section of the newspaper to see how his investments in Purina Dog Chow is doing, we don’t think twice when a human is planning. How many of us here are planning to buy a new car or a vacation this summer? How many of us here spend time planning our families? How many kids we will have, where we will live, what we will do? Or, if you are younger – planning what you want to be when you grow up? A Mom, or a Dad, or a Priest? How many of us here are thinking about our retirement or planning for our death?
Planning is how we achieve at a good goal
At the heart of all planning is working to achieve some good goal. The goal of planning a vacation is a relaxing time at the beach, or in the mountains – to have an enjoyable time. The goal of planning a family is to have a happy, fulfilled life and the goal of planning for our retirement and our death is to help those whom we love.
What is God’s involvement in our plans?
The question that we are called to reflect on today is that of God’s involvement in our plans. All of us here today have many plans for our life, but how many of those plans include God?
[PAUSE]
To look at this question from another angle, It is clear from the readings today that God has a plan for us, and that He is actively working his plan. How does God work into our plans?
How does God enter into our plans?
The Gospel today shows us how God enters into our plans, and how we can respond when he does. In the Gospel today the two disciples are on the road to Emaus. Why?
[PAUSE]
They are sad about what has happened to Christ, they are leaving town, dejected, depressed. Things didn’t go according to their plan. On Palm Sunday things were going like gangbusters, Jesus made his triumphant entry into Jerusalem. This was the time and place where their plans for freedom from Roman oppression were going to be realized. Then came Good Friday, Christ was crucified. Being good Jews they stayed in town for the Sabbath, and now it is the morning after the Sabbath (Sunday) and they are getting out of town.
Christ is the Good Shepherd – going after his Lost Sheep
It is at this point in their plans – the lowest point of their plan that Christ meets them on the road and He begins to walk with them. At this low point of their plans they begin to talk with Jesus about where they are at – truthfully from the heart. Jesus then responds by sharing their struggles, and then showing them how their struggles tie into God’s plan for their lives. At the end of the day, they come to the inn and share a meal with one another. It is in the breaking of the bread – the Eucharist that they recognize Him – They see how God has entered into their plans and where their plans must now lead them.
The Road to Emaus ends up being God’s Plan
You see, when the disciples set off from Jerusalem that morning they did not know that they were cooperating with God’s plan. They were thinking to themselves, anyplace has got to be better than this place. What they didn’t realize is that they were actually going to Jerusalem, it wasn’t until they encounter Christ in the Breaking of the Bread at Emaus that Christ shows them their vocation.
Letting God into our plans is how we learn our Vocation
Along the way they were met by Christ, and as they shared with Christ, they learned from him and realized that He was giving their journey a purpose, a mission, a vocation. Their encounter with Jesus set their hearts afire so that at the end the day they were doing the will of the Father – they proclaimed the resurrection of Christ to the Apostles!
Imagine being the one to tell the Pope the most amazing piece of news in the history of time!
Where is God in the Plan’s for your life?
If we went to a retirement planner to plan for our retirement he would not say to us - go each week and buy a powerball ticket - then you will be taken care of in your old age - no! He would encourage us to hard work, discipline, saving, so that when we get to an old age we can retire. Likewise, St. Peter exhorts us not to trust in treasures like silver and gold, but in what is eternal - the Blood of Christ. When we are planning for after retirement - after we die, we need to follow the same advice - to pray for conversion, to fast and to open our hearts so that God's plan for our life can be realized - eternity spent in communion with Him.
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