I celebrated Mass in the three nursing homes that are assigned to St. James. Before I began the Mass, I explained the meaning of this Easter Season. I thought that it was a very good explanation.

One woman in a stage whisper said, "I didn’t understand a single thing that he said ".

In the Gospel we are told of the first followers that were leaving the Church. Jesus appeared to them. They were so much in pain about loosing Jesus through death, that they did not even recognize him. They did not understand a single thing that was said.

They still invited Jesus into their home. When he broke the bread at the meal, they knew who he was. Then they understood what he had said.

"Were not our hearts burning within us when he explained the Scriptures to us?"

I welcome all of you to this celebration. I especially welcome those who have come to pray for a loved one that has died and was buried at St. James or had prayers at the Funeral Home.

Words sometimes don’t take away our mourning and grief. Sometimes there are no words that can be said when we are in pain.

I , as a priest, am overwhelmed by so many words that are being used to respond the crisis that is going on in the Church today. I don’t know how this will end.

As the disciples invited the Lord to come into heir home, I too am inviting the Risen Lord to come into my home. I am holding on to the Risen Lord breaking bread for me and you. I am holding on to the Eucharist, the Risen Lord’s body and blood.

It was the Eucharist that made the first disciples to return to the Church that they had left.