Emmaus Supper by Carl Heinrich Bloch Most priests spend a few days after Easter together, “in community,” as did the apostles. Holy Week (before Easter) is frenetic, so the Octave (after Easter) is restful: basking in the warm splendor of our Christ’s resurrection. I’m in Southern California at the home of a dear priest friend with another dear priest friend; we had holy hour and Mass this morning with his sister, who lives in an Italian community of consecrated women. The Gospel for today is always resta con noi—“stay with us Lord, for evening draws on.” It is the Road to Emmaus, when Jesus joins two discouraged disciples on the way, and opens their minds through the scriptures, so that their hearts burn within them. After communion we sang the beautiful Italian song, Resta con noi, non ci lasciar… “Stay with us Lord; do not leave us, for evening draws on….”
On Holy Saturday, the one day of the year when God is absent, when there is no Mass and no Holy Communion, a man walked past our open but empty church (that is, the altar stripped and the tabernacle empty) in San Francisco. He made the sign of the cross as he glanced toward the wide portal at the top of the steps. I’ve seen so many passers-by glance up with a glimmer of hope and recognition as they pass by. So many make a furtive sign of the cross in the midst of this busy thoroughfare as they pass. We are all wayfarers on that dusty road, and when we see an open church, especially an open Catholic church, our hearts burn a little as we recognize Jesus with us. May God permit that we are able to keep those doors open on Geary Boulevard, and church doors all over the city open, so that fellow travelers may yet make the sign of the cross as they pass by the way.
On Holy Saturday, the one day of the year when God is absent, when there is no Mass and no Holy Communion, a man walked past our open but empty church (that is, the altar stripped and the tabernacle empty) in San Francisco. He made the sign of the cross as he glanced toward the wide portal at the top of the steps. I’ve seen so many passers-by glance up with a glimmer of hope and recognition as they pass by. So many make a furtive sign of the cross in the midst of this busy thoroughfare as they pass. We are all wayfarers on that dusty road, and when we see an open church, especially an open Catholic church, our hearts burn a little as we recognize Jesus with us. May God permit that we are able to keep those doors open on Geary Boulevard, and church doors all over the city open, so that fellow travelers may yet make the sign of the cross as they pass by the way.
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