Luke 24:13-14, “That very day, the first day of the week, two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.”  The two disciples on the road to Emmaus are conversing about Jesus’ plan to destroy the temple and rebuild it on the 3 ^rd day.  In the book The Challenge of Jesus: Rediscovering Who Jesus Was and Is, N.T. Wright states, “…his (Jesus) kingdom-agenda for Israel demanded that Israel leave off her frantic and paranoid self-defense, reinforced as it now was by the ancestral codes, and embrace instead the vocation to be light of the world, the salt of the earth (Wright, 58—in parenthesis is added).”  The Pharisees were defending the city of Jerusalem and the Temple.  Jesus came to judge these institutions and proclaim that salvation has been extended to all of humanity.  The Roman authorities and the Jews responded by having Jesus crucified.  The 2 disciples on the road to Emmaus was debating; Does the city of Jerusalem and Temple institution continue as the authority or did Jesus establish a new institution with a new authority?  The grain of wheat must die to rise to new life.  Through his death, Jesus would establish a new institution with authority, the Catholic Church, and the new Temple which is the hearts of all baptized believers who are friends of Christ.
 
Luke 24:15-16, “And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.”  The disciples’ hearts were hardened.  They could not recognize the 2 ^nd Person of the Trinity standing next to them.  Jesus could see the gift of faith in their hearts and desired for the flame of faith to grow.  What stopped the growth of the flame of faith in the hearts of these 2 disciples?  The grain of wheat must die and rise to new life.  The disciples did not understand the kingdom agenda of Jesus.  To follow Jesus is to lose one’s life and rise as a Christian.  A Christian completely trusts in Jesus and not in the world.  The time is now to choose Jesus.  The devil has been conquered by Jesus, and the gates of heaven have been opened: choose eternal life in heaven.
 
 
Luke 24:18-19, “One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, ‘Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place in these days?’  And he replied to them, ‘What sort of things?’”  Jesus has just endured His passion and death.  Jesus has descended into Hell and rescued all our righteous forefathers.  Jesus has just Resurrected from the dead.  I cringe at this question from Cleopas.  Hey Jesus, do you know what is going on in Jerusalem?  I cringe at this question, because I have done the same thing.  Hey Jesus, do you realize what is happening in our world?  We have a global pandemic.  We are losing our right to the freedom of religion, the freedom to protest, and the freedom to assemble.  The United States economy is collapsing.  Like Cleopas, I forget this world is not my home.  Friendship with Jesus is more important than anything.  As Catholics, we have Sacred Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and countless number of Martyrs as a guide to grow in friendship with Jesus.  The grain of wheat must die to rise to new life.
 
Luke 24:22-23, “Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive.”  The women became the Apostles of the Resurrection to announce the good news that our lives have been purchased by the sacrifice of the Lamb.  Jesus has purchased our lives with His very blood.  Our lives are not meant to prop up worldly institutions at the neglect of our relationship with Jesus Christ.  The Catholic Church teaches us that we are destined to have an eternal friendship with Jesus Christ in heaven.  The choice to choose this heavenly destiny is ours.  The grain of wheat must die and rise to new life.
 
Luke 24:25-27, “And he said to them, ‘Oh, how foolish you are!  How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!  Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?’  Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures.” 
 
Moses and the Prophets show us how to completely surrender our lives to God.  Moses faced the pagan nation of Egypt representing Hell and through the power of God delivered the Jewish people from bondage.  If we have faith in God like Moses, God can act in miraculous ways to deliver our hearts from any attachment to the pagan promises of the world.  Do we continue to prop up our frantic desire to consume whatever we like in the United States, because we can?  What parts of your Catholic faith are you willing to give up to keep consuming the things you like to have in your life?  Do you join the Pharisees in the frantic self-defense of an institution?  The defense of the institution of modern consumerism and on-demand supply chain.  Or, do you recognize the collapse of the American way of life of consumerism and on-demand supply, and get back to the basics of being a Catholic completely devoted to Jesus.  The grain of wheat must die and rise to new life.
 
Luke 24:30-31, “And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them.  With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight.”  The Body of Christ, Amen!  As Catholics, the Sacrament of the Eucharist is where we bodily experience the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and are asked the question: Do you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior?  The Eucharist will be with us for only a short time.  Is the Eucharist just merely another product offered on the on-demand supply chain that is currently not available?  Like the 2 disciples on the road to Emmaus, wake from your sleep.  Stop hanging on the false security of the institution of consumerism and the on-demand supply chain.  Stop treating the Eucharist, Jesus, like another consumer product offered from the big box Catholic store.  The grain of wheat must die and rise to new life.  The world is coming to an end for our home is to be with Jesus Christ.  Which do you choose to defend, your modern consumerism and on-demand supply chain or Jesus Christ?  The words of Scripture are alive—Remember the taste of the Living Word.  Luke 24:32, “Then they said to each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?’”