You will show me the path to life
abounding joy in your presence.
These words of the psalmist, King David, are woven directly or obliquely into the three readings for today's sacred liturgy of the Eucharist. As you see, if you read the first reading, Luke incorporates a part of David's psalm into the Acts of the Apostles. He is trying to help the early Church capture the fullness of the Resurrection ... especially for those who may not have been alive when that event occurred. For us today, let us pray that this Risen Lord will bless us with the wisdom to know the meaning for us in our world, our lives all these many years since Luke wrote.
In the gospel today, we once again embark upon the walk with two of the disciples who were running from Jerusalem. Fear of the enemy and disappointment. Two emotions that could drive anyone away from an accepted purpose. These two disciples were enduring a test of their belief? Might you ask them in your own prayer how they felt? How important was their faith to them? Did they feel embarrassed when they realized that it was Jesus walking and talking with them? Do you think the others were going to believe them when they returned with their "news"? Would you believe them?
David's words of the verse should be read over slowly three or four times. Notice the surety with which he speaks to God: "You will show [me] the path to life." There is no doubt in his mind and gives God no wiggle room. "Your WILL show [me] the path to life." Are you strong enough in your faith and personal relationship with Jesus that you can say those same words to him in your prayer? Hmm. A true test for us today. Furthermore, Luke's words "the path TO life can help us talk more directly with the Lord. David is not speaking about being shown the path OF life. God is not giving the entire picture of life. "Here's the path. What are YOU going to do?" Jesus might well be saying this to all of us in our own time. Jesus WILL point out where the path begins. Do you know where it has begun in your life? Do you need to find the set out point again?
David gives his hearers and readers encouragement. Realize that this path to life will ultimately bring you to a life that is abundant with joy, on the one hand, and secondly in the very presence of God. David gives such strong encouragement because he feels that only a foolish person would prefer something different to being in the presence of God. Yet, most of us know how difficult it can be, this living the life of the gospels. This is why Jesus so often told his disciples not to fear and why so often in the post-resurrection days emphasized peace, "Peace be with you."
David and others who accepted Jesus' invitation to follow him realized perhaps better than we do today that the Resurrection day, Easter Sunday, is the most important day in the year of the Church, in the life of our Church. Christmas has a good purpose: Jesus had to be brought into this world. Good Friday had a reason: to guarantee the forgiveness of sins. Easter Sunday validates the promises Jesus made to all of us sinners who have come to seek his mercy, his forgiveness. So, another question: what does the Resurrection really mean to you? Do you realize that without the Resurrection, all of the sacrifice of Good Friday would mean very little?
