"Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him." The disciples on the road to Emmaus had already heard reports about Jesus' resurrection. It was at the forefront of their minds, but in spite of this, they did not recognize Jesus when he stood right before them.

Why not? Perhaps because they weren't looking for him. Maybe they didn't really believe that he was alive. Or it could be that his appearance was not the same as it had been before. Whatever the case, it's very interesting to learn that it was actually while celebrating the Eucharist that these men finally realized who was right there with them! "He was made known to them in the breaking of bread."

"Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, 'Peace be with you.'" This greeting from the resurrected Christ must have been a profound one for the disciples. They were living behind locked doors "for fear of the Jews," which really meant for fear of their own lives. They had seen what happened to Jesus and didn't want to face the same fate. Imagine the paralysis of this fear, keeping them locked inside a prison of their own making.

But even the walls and the locks could not keep Jesus out! He came "although the doors were locked" and brought them a message of peace. And then their fear turned to gladness for they "rejoiced when they saw the Lord." This transformation from sadness to joy, from fear to peace was not just a gift for these first disciples. It is a gift for all of the followers of the Lord, ourselves included!

The idea of building Small Christian Communities SCC or Basic Ecclesial Communities BEC started immediately after the Second Vatican Council. Vatican II is the catalyst of the universal movement of a church model organized into SCC/BEC. Envisioned in the conciliar documents is a renewed church through the SCC. The formation of SCC movement is regarded as the concrete realization of the communitarian model of the Church (A Church of Community of Communities) envisioned and promoted by the Second Vatican Council. The conciliar ideas attributed to directly promote a church of communities like the SCC were as follows:

"Peter said to him in reply, 'Though all may have their faith in you shaken, mine will never be.'" Peter thought pretty highly of his faith. On the eve of Christ's death he professed, in essence, that he was more committed to Jesus than anyone else. And yet, we know how the story turns out: when put to the test in the moment that mattered, Peter "began to curse and to swear, 'I do not know the man.'"

On this Palm Sunday, we hear many stories of betrayal. The crowds, who once hailed Jesus with "hosannas," will soon be chanting, "Let him be crucified!" Judas, who was counted among the closest companions of the Lord, turns him over to the chief priests for thirty pieces of silver. And Peter falls short in the moment of truth, and then "went out and began to weep bitterly."

"I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live." As we draw near to the great feast of Easter, the Church gives us here some food for thought regarding the idea of resurrection and eternal life. Today's Gospel shares the story of a dead man who came to life again by the power of Jesus. Lazarus, who had been lying lifeless in a tomb for four days, "came out" of the tomb, burial cloths draped around his body, in a moment that must have been absolutely astonishing! This miracle could not have been explained by anything other than divine power over life and death. It's important to consider that this story is not so much about Jesus' own resurrection but rather it is about OURS. Jesus uses the occasion of this restoration of his friend, Lazarus, to teach that we ALL can be raised to new life through the power of the Lord. Jesus tells us that we too can overcome death by believing in him: "everyone who lives and believes in me will never die."