Apr 11, 2026 Written by 

Seeing and believing on a pilgrimage

The Risen Jesus walked alongside the disciples on the road to Emmaus as they talked about Him and what had happened in Jerusalem. He put them to the test.

Christ’s body was now in a new, glorious state, whilst retaining its identity. To recognise Him required the faith and freedom of the children of God.

 

For Francis, poverty and freedom of spirit, united with faith, were the fundamental framework of his existential parable as a ‘minor’.

Begging for alms, for example, even during Eastertide, whilst living as a wayfarer on the road, was for him a wonderful exercise of the aforementioned values.

Leafing through the Sources, in the Major Legend, we read:

“Once, on the holy day of Easter, as he found himself in a hermitage far from any settlement and there was no possibility of going out to beg, mindful of Him who on that very day appeared to the disciples on their way to Emmaus in the guise of a pilgrim, he asked for alms, as a pilgrim and a poor man, from his own brothers.

Having received it, he instructed them with holy words to celebrate the Lord’s Easter continually, passing through the desert of the world in poverty of spirit and as pilgrims and strangers and as true Jews.

For, in begging for alms, he was not driven by the desire for gain, but by the freedom of the Spirit. God, the Father of the poor, showed him special care” (FF 1129).

And it was that inner freedom, together with faith, that became the gateway to recognising the Risen Christ at the breaking of bread, as at Emmaus.

Francis had three-dimensional eyes, which enabled him to look beyond appearances, grasping the essence of the message before him.

Indeed, in the Admonitions, he expresses it thus:

«Behold, every day he humbles himself, as when he descended from his royal throne into the womb of the Virgin; every day he himself comes to us in humble appearance […]

And just as he showed himself to the holy apostles in true flesh, so too does he now show himself to us in the consecrated bread.

And just as they, with the eyes of their bodies, saw only his flesh, but, contemplating him with the eyes of the spirit, believed that he was God himself, so too must we, seeing the bread and wine with the eyes of the body, see and firmly believe that this is his most holy body and living and true blood» (FF 144).

The Poverello had acquired, by grace, the inner capacity to discern the footsteps of the Lord in the ordinary course of daily life, with real concreteness.

 

«And it came to pass, as He sat at table with them, that He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognised Him» (Lk 24:30–31)

 

 

3rd Sunday in Easter A  (Lk 24:13–35)

181 Last modified on Saturday, 11 April 2026 05:32
Teresa Girolami

Teresa Girolami è laureata in Materie letterarie e Teologia. Ha pubblicato vari testi, fra cui: "Pellegrinaggio del cuore" (Ed. Piemme); "I Fiammiferi di Maria - La Madre di Dio in prosa e poesia"; "Tenerezza Scalza - Natura di donna"; co-autrice di "Dialogo e Solstizio".

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Wherever people want to set themselves up as God they cannot but set themselves against each other. Instead, wherever they place themselves in the Lord’s truth they are open to the action of his Spirit who sustains and unites them (Pope Benedict
Dove gli uomini vogliono farsi Dio, possono solo mettersi l’uno contro l’altro. Dove invece si pongono nella verità del Signore, si aprono all’azione del suo Spirito che li sostiene e li unisce (Papa Benedetto)
But our understanding is limited: thus, the Spirit's mission is to introduce the Church, in an ever new way from generation to generation, into the greatness of Christ's mystery. The Spirit places nothing different or new beside Christ; no pneumatic revelation comes with the revelation of Christ - as some say -, no second level of Revelation (Pope Benedict)
Ma la nostra capacità di comprendere è limitata; perciò la missione dello Spirito è di introdurre la Chiesa in modo sempre nuovo, di generazione in generazione, nella grandezza del mistero di Cristo. Lo Spirito non pone nulla di diverso e di nuovo accanto a Cristo; non c’è nessuna rivelazione pneumatica accanto a quella di Cristo - come alcuni credono - nessun secondo livello di Rivelazione (Papa Benedetto)
Who touched Lydia's heart? The answer is: «the Holy Spirit». It’s He who made this woman feel that Jesus was Lord; He made this woman feel that salvation was in Paul's words; He made this woman feel a testimony (Pope Francis)
Chi ha toccato il cuore di Lidia? La risposta è: «lo Spirito Santo». È lui che ha fatto sentire a questa donna che Gesù era il Signore; ha fatto sentire a questa donna che la salvezza era nelle parole di Paolo; ha fatto sentire a questa donna una testimonianza (Papa Francesco)
But what does it mean to love Christ?  It means trusting him even in times of trial, following him faithfully even on the Via Crucis, in the hope that soon the morning of the Resurrection will come.  Entrusting ourselves to Christ, we lose nothing, we gain everything.  In his hands our life acquires its true meaning.  Love for Christ expresses itself in the will to harmonize our own life with the thoughts and sentiments of his Heart.  This is achieved through interior union [Pope Benedict]
Ma che vuol dire amare Cristo? Vuol dire fidarsi di Lui anche nell'ora della prova, seguirLo fedelmente anche sulla Via Crucis, nella speranza che presto verrà il mattino della risurrezione. Affidandoci a Cristo non perdiamo niente, ma acquistiamo tutto. Nelle sue mani la nostra vita acquista il suo vero senso. L'amore per Cristo si esprime nella volontà di sintonizzare la propria vita con i pensieri e i sentimenti del suo Cuore. Questo si realizza mediante l'unione interiore [Papa Benedetto]
St Thomas Aquinas says this very succinctly when he writes: "The New Law is the grace of the Holy Spirit" (Summa Theologiae, I-IIae, q.106 a. 1). The New Law is not another commandment more difficult than the others: the New Law is a gift, the New Law is the presence of the Holy Spirit [Pope Benedict]
San Tommaso d’Aquino lo dice in modo molto preciso quando scrive: “La nuova legge è la grazia dello Spirito Santo” (Summa theologiae, I-IIae, q. 106, a. 1). La nuova legge non è un altro comando più difficile degli altri: la nuova legge è un dono, la nuova legge è la presenza dello Spirito Santo [Papa Benedetto]
Even after seeing his people's repeated unfaithfulness to the covenant, this God is still willing to offer his love, creating in man a new heart (John Paul II)
Anche dopo aver registrato nel suo popolo una ripetuta infedeltà all’alleanza, questo Dio è disposto ancora ad offrire il proprio amore, creando nell’uomo un cuore nuovo (Giovanni Paolo II)

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