The Burning Within

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 3:1-10 ~~~ Psalm 105 ~~~ 

~~~ Luke 24:13-35 ~~~

“Were not our hearts burning within us

while he spoke to us on the way and 

opened the Scriptures to us?”

These are beautiful words...burning hearts...

on the way...opened the Scriptures...

Jesus tells us that where two or more 

are gathered together he too will be present.

Peter and John were going up to the temple area...

Cleopas and his wife were walking home to Emmaus.

Peter and John come to the 'Beautiful Gate'

for the afternoon prayer time.

A crippled beggar approaches them asking for money.

Peter has no coins to give him,

but he does have within his body a burning heart.

His heart was so full of Jesus that 

he was blessed to heal.

Peter gave this man the gift 

of healing at the 'Beautiful Gate'

because his heart was burning.

We may not have the gift of healing,

 but I hope your heart is burning.

Every time we read or hear the Scriptures

our hearts should also be burning.

These words are our connection to Jesus himself.

Once again Jesus asks the obvious question to Cleopas...

'What are you talking about?'

I imagine they are startled from their deep 

conversation and grief.

Where has this stranger been?

The more Jesus speaks to them about his own history and life,

the more they are drawn to listen more intently.

They are so mesmerized that they do not want this

 'stranger' to leave, so they offer him hospitality.

But they urged him, “Stay with us,

for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.”

This desire to hold on the Jesus can happen to us too.

When we have an intimate encounter with Jesus...

that burning within our heart...

we do not want it to end.

We want these 'feelings' of the presence

of God to remain with us.

We soon learn that we cannot keep

the feelings alive for ever...

just as Cleopas could not

 keep Jesus in their home.

Jesus stays with us just long enough 

to make his presence felt,

but then he vanishes 

leaving within our heart a burning.

"But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel."

Cleopas and many others had their own idea of who Jesus would be;

we do the same thing.

We put our personal hopes in what we want 

Jesus to mean for ourselves.

He always fulfills our hopes

with his more superb plan for our life.

When we stand before the 

"Beautiful Gate"

know that God stands beside you.

He speaks to you and reveals himself through the Scriptures.

Blessed to have within a burning heart.

Let your Alleluias fan the flames.

Let the Light of Christ shine brightly

 for those with you on the road.

~~~Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! ~~~

He is Risen!

Joyfully Praising God

 

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 3:1-10 ~~~ Psalm 105 ~~~ Luke 24:13-35 ~~~

 

The Beautiful Gate and the Beautiful Journey

 

The sick and crippled are healed and dance with joy at the Beautiful Gate.

It is the place to be if you want to receive compassion and some small coins.

 

After Jesus' Resurrection the apostles are given many gifts through the Holy Spirit...

one such gift is that of healing. Today we have the story of Peter

 healing the man at the gate.

After his healing the man rises to his feet...

 

"...in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk.”
Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up,
and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong.
He leaped up, stood, and walked around,
and went into the temple with them,
walking and jumping and praising God.

 

He immediately joyfully enters into the temple to praise God.

How often, when we have prayers answered,

 do we remember to first give praise to God?

This man had not been able to go into the temple for sometime.

He could have just as easily gone out into the streets rejoicing and dancing.

 

 

Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord.

 

The couple walking sadly along the road to Emmaus

were blessed

with a spiritual healing.

They were heart sick over the loss of Jesus.

They had placed all of their future hopes and dreams in him,

and now he was gone.

 

As Jesus walked with them they did not recognize him.

Later they were able to recall how their hearts were burning.

Their hearts were burning because our hearts can sense the presence of God

when our intellectual self cannot.

 

There is a part of our heart that longs to be reunited with God.

It is a longing we often confuse for something else.

 

“Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”

 

When Jesus broke the bread with them, they were given

clarity of vision. It was then that they had their profound AHA!

 

Like the healed man at the Beautiful Gate

 they are eager to share their experience.

The Lord has truly been raised...

Alleluia!

 

On the road or at the gate, the presence of the Lord is sufficient reason

 to jump with joy and give him praise.

May our hearts burn each time we hear his words.

He is alive...He is present!

Is Jesus a Stranger to You?

Acts 3:1-10 ~~~ Psalm 105 ~~~ Luke 24: 13-35

I think it is good to be reminded as we are today that the apostles were blessed with the gift of healing in the name of Jesus. Today is one such account...Peter does not boast that he can heal instead he invokes the name of Jesus Christ to extend his healing. While I may be skeptical of some of those who claim to have this healing power; I am reminded today it comes from God and not the person. The power to heal must be for the honor and glory of God not an individual.

Whenever you are healed remember jumping and praising
God is always in good taste and appropriate.

The gospel today is one of my favorites...the Road to Emmaus...

These two friends are feeling really depressed after all that has happened to Jesus. He was their hope and now he was gone. They were feeling pretty confused and frustrated. Suddenly out of nowhere a 'stranger' joins them on their journey. Of course we know this is Jesus. How many times in my own life have I failed to recognize Jesus when he is right beside me too?

Jesus is so patient with them.
He listens while they go on and on about how the tomb was empty.
He does talk with them. He shares knowledge of the scriptures and even though their hearts were burning inside...they still do not recognize him as Jesus, the teacher.

After arriving at their destination Jesus joins them at table to share a meal.

This is where he reveals who he truly is...their beloved Jesus.

They recognized him in the breaking of the bread. They had done this together on many prior occasions. This time it is his familiar actions and not his voice that gives away his true identity. God chooses many different ways to reveal himself to us.

Practice being more aware of the many ways God
reveals himself to you, just for today.