Gospel of Luke, chapter 24:45

Today’s Gospel passage from Luke, chapter 24, shows the importance of understanding the scriptures. When the risen Christ encountered the two disciples on the road to the Emmaus, He opened their minds and hearts to an understanding of his mission in the scriptures (Luke 24:13-32). Later, when these two disciples met with the Apostles, Jesus appeared to all of them. He again reiterated the importance of knowing the scriptures, and explained to them how He was, indeed, the fulfillment of the Old Testament (Luke 24:35-48).

There is an old Adage which says: “to know the scriptures is to know Christ.” Did not Christ say: “Blessed are those who hear the word and keep it?” The scriptures are the word of God; and Christ is the word made flesh: “In the beginning was the word, and the word was God.” (John 1:2). Christ and the scriptures are one. Christ is the living word; the word made flesh. The scriptures are the written word which Christ came to fulfill by His example of love and sacrifice on the cross for the remission of our sins.

I want to share a story with you about the importance of the scriptures in our lives. One day when I was walking outside on the grounds of the church I saw a red van in the parking lot with the door wide-open, swinging in the breeze. My curiosity got the better of me, and I wondered what was wrong! Why would anyone leave the door of his van open to sway in the wind? As I approached the van, I saw a man sitting in the driver’s seat, quietly reading from a book. “Are you all right,” I asked. The man was jolted into awareness at my sudden interruption of his reverie. “Oh I’m reading my bible,” he replied, “and I didn’t want to keep the air- conditioning running.”

We talked about the scriptures, and my new-found friend explained that he couldn’t live without them. “Why do you say that?” I asked, inquisitively. “Well,” he said, “when I was wounded during World War II, I found myself in a hospital bed, bereft of all hope, and comfort. The only friend I had was a bible I found lying on top of my bedside table. I began to read it with the help of a dictionary; and with the help of the Holy Spirit whom Jesus said would be my guide. This book,” he emphasized, “with tears in his eyes, cured me of all my ills. I got well again, and I have never let this book out of my sight.”

I will never forget this man I casually ran into in the church’s parking lot many years ago. He brought the good news to life by letting them change his life the way Christ teaches in the scriptures.

Read the scriptures, daily, if you can! Your life will be much the richer for it.

Fr. Hugh Duffy