Die II infra Octavam Paschæ
As the Church continues to bask in the radiant light of the Resurrection throughout the Octave of Easter, today’s sacred readings, drawn from Die II infra octavam Paschæ, draw our hearts deeper into the Paschal Mystery. Acts 10:37–43 and Luke 24:13–35 invite us not only to recall the historical reality of Christ’s Resurrection but to encounter its living presence in the breaking of the bread and in the preaching of His witnesses.
“You Know What Has Happened”: The Witness of Peter (Acts 10:37–43)
St. Peter, speaking to Cornelius and his household, offers a concise kerygma, proclaiming the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. “You know what happened throughout all Judea,” he begins (Acts 10:37), rooting the Resurrection in history—real places, real people, real events. The Resurrection is no myth or symbolic tale, but a divine act breaking into human history.
St. John Chrysostom notes the weight of this testimony: “See how they [the Apostles] preach the things that are most known first, and then proceed to the more obscure… Thus he first establishes the fact of Christ’s appearance and actions.” (Hom. in Acta Apostolorum, Hom. XXIII). The Apostles are not offering private visions; they are witnesses to events “not done in a corner” (Acts 26:26).
Peter emphasizes that the risen Christ “was seen, not by all the people, but by witnesses chosen beforehand by God—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead” (Acts 10:41). This detail reveals the Eucharistic lens through which the early Church understood the Resurrection. St. Bede the Venerable writes, “He showed Himself alive by bodily presence to those who had loved Him, that through them the faith might spread to all others” (In Acta Apostolorum, ad locum). Eating and drinking with Christ affirms not merely a vision, but the resurrection of His true body—as the Church confesses, carnis resurrectio.
Moreover, Peter concludes with the call to mission: “He commanded us to preach… that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (Acts 10:42–43). Thus, the Resurrection is not only a fact to be believed, but a mystery to be lived and proclaimed.
“Their Eyes Were Opened”: The Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35)
This Gospel pericope is among the most poignant post-Resurrection narratives. Two disciples, weary and disillusioned, journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus, speaking of the things that had transpired. The risen Christ walks with them, yet “their eyes were kept from recognizing Him” (Luke 24:16).
St. Gregory the Great provides a spiritual interpretation: “They were not able to love Him as God because they had not yet believed in His Resurrection… He showed Himself to them outwardly as He was inwardly with them.” (Hom. in Evangelia, 23). Christ walks with us, even when we do not yet recognize Him. His presence often precedes our perception.
The key moment comes at table. “He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him” (Luke 24:30–31). Here we see the Eucharistic climax. The Fathers consistently see this passage as a foreshadowing of the Holy Mass.
St. Augustine declares, “They knew Him in the breaking of the bread: be you then in the breaking of the bread, and you will know the Lord. If you believe, you have seen Him; if you love, you have touched Him” (Sermo 235). The recognition of Christ in the Eucharist is a grace given to faith-filled hearts. The Sacred Host is no mere symbol, but the very Christ once crucified and now risen, hidden under the appearance of bread.
St. Ambrose beautifully reflects: “Learn where and how you may see Christ. He is discovered in the breaking of bread. So if you wish to see Christ, break bread, and believe” (Expositio Evangelii secundum Lucam, 8.23). It is in the liturgical life of the Church that we come to know Him most intimately, not by mere sight, but by faith in the sacramental mystery.
Paschal Lessons for the Octave
These two readings—one apostolic preaching, the other a liturgical encounter—teach us the twofold path of Easter: proclamation and communion.
- Faith is rooted in history, but blossoms in mystery. The apostles preach a Christ who truly lived, died, and rose. But the Church lives this reality above all in the Eucharist. The Emmaus disciples go from confusion to burning hearts through the Scriptures and the breaking of bread—the structure of our Holy Mass.
- Christ draws near, even when we are blind. Like the Emmaus disciples, we often fail to recognize Christ amid sorrow or distraction. But He walks with us, speaks to us through Scripture, and feeds us with His Body. Our hearts will burn anew if we stay close to the altar.
- The Resurrection demands a response. The Emmaus disciples “set out that very hour” (Luke 24:33). They could not keep the joy to themselves. Likewise, Peter’s words to Cornelius culminate in a universal mission: the Gospel must be preached to all nations. We, the baptized, are heirs of this same commission.
Conclusion: The Day the Lord Has Made
On this second day within the Easter Octave, we are reminded that the Church’s joy is not fleeting. Each day of this Octave is liturgically a new Easter, and the Church sings still, Haec dies quam fecit Dominus: exsultemus et laetemur in ea! (Ps. 117:24).
As we kneel at the altar, as we hear the Scriptures opened to us, may our eyes be opened, and our hearts burn with renewed love for the risen Christ. For He is with us, even now, in the breaking of the bread.
Alleluia! Christus resurrexit, sicut dixit. Alleluia!