Walking and Talking

From Evening Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours during Ordinary Time the closing prayer for Week IV on Monday evenings reads:

Stay with us, Lord Jesus,

for evening draws near,

and be our companion on our way

to set our hearts on fire with new hope.

Help us to recognize your presence among us 

in the Scriptures we read,

and in the breaking of bread,

for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,

one God for ever and ever.

As his disciples were walking and talking along the way, Jesus comes up to them (though they were unable to recognize him) and he asks:

“What is this conversation which you are holding with each other as you walk?” 

(Lk 24: 17)

Why they were talking about Jesus! Should this not be our conversation with each other as we walk together along the Way? Shouldn’t we be able to help each other to recognize him? 

This can only be done if we get to know him through the Scriptures which will cause “our hearts to burn within us” sparked with the flame of faith. Then, after getting to know him in the Scriptures, we can see him with the eyes of faith in the breaking of the bread, the Eucharistic bread.

The Word and Eucharist are our sustenance - food for the journey. May his words be on our lips and  burn within our hearts as we walk and talk with each other, and may we see him and recognize him in each other when our eyes are opened at the breaking of the bread - all with Jesus as our companion on our way.