ST. POPE JOHN PAUL II GENERAL AUDIENCE NOVEMBER 15, 2000 Sunday Gospel insights from the: Teachings of the Popes Saint Pope Pius X Pope Pius XII Pope John XXIII Saint Pope John Paul II Pope Benedict XIV Pope Francis Word, Eucharist and divided Christians 1. In the programme for this Jubilee Year we could not omit the dimension of ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, as I had indicated earlier in Tertio millennio adveniente (cf. nn. 53 and 55). The Trinitarian and Eucharistic line we developed in our previous catecheses now prompts us to reflect on this aspect, examining first of all the problem of restoring unity among Christians. We do so in the light of the Gospel account of the disciples of Emmaus (cf. Lk 24: 13-35), observing the way that the two disciples who were leaving the community were spurred to reverse their direction to rediscover it. 2. The two disciples turned their backs on the place where Jesus had been crucified, because the event had been a cruel disappointment to them. For this very reason they were leaving the other disciples and returning, as it were, to individualism. "They were talking with each other about all these things that had happened" (Lk 24: 14), without understanding their meaning. They did not realize that Jesus had died "to gather into one the children of God who are scattered" (Jn 11: 52). They only saw the tremendously negative aspect of the cross, which had destroyed their hopes: "We had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel" (Lk 24: 21). The risen Jesus comes up and walks beside them, "but their eyes were kept from recognizing him" (Lk 24: 16), because from the spiritual standpoint they were in the darkest shadows. Then Jesus, with wonderful patience, endeavours to bring them back into the light of faith through a long biblical catechesis: "Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself" (Lk 24: 27). Their hearts began to burn (cf. Lk 24: 32). They begged their mysterious companion to stay with them. "When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight" (Lk 24: 30-31). Thanks to the clear into the light of faith and were able to recognize the risen Christ "in the breaking of the bread" (Lk 24: 35). The effect of this profound change was an impulse to set out again without delay and return to Jerusalem to join "the Eleven gathered together and those who were with them" (Lk 24: 33). The journey of faith had made fraternal union possible.
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