Filled with enthusiasm, eager to do their part to make the world a better place, the military recruits headed off to basic training. After several sessions with a tough-as-nails, no-nonsense drill sergeant, more than a few of them were homesick, full of self-doubt and discouraged.

As the orientation program progressed, some of the incoming freshmen were overwhelmed by the extensive course outlines, required reading lists, and term paper assignments they received. They wondered if their life-long dream of a college degree would become a reality and reflected: had they chosen their courses wisely? Was a major let down in the cards for them?

It’s not surprising if the recruits’ plight or the students’ concerns prompt us to recall times in our own past when we questioned decisions we made or were overcome with anxiety and fear of failure.

As today’s Scripture Readings assure us, we are not the first people to have experienced life’s frustrations and disappointments. They encourage us not to become disheartened when mishaps, crises, or disasters interfere with or wreak havoc on our plans. These texts also challenge us to persevere in our efforts to triumph over our suffering and be faithful witnesses to Jesus Christ and His Gospel message.

Luke’s Gospel tells us Cleopas and his companion were discouraged when the Risen Lord approached them on the road to Emmaus. The Messiah’s horrific passion and death had upset them and dashed their hopes for Israel’s redemption. As they walked along, Jesus reminded them the prophets had predicted the Christ would suffer these things before He could redeem God’s people and enter into His glory; He then interpreted for them all scriptural references to Him.

Moved by Our Lord’s words, they urged Him to stay with them. When He broke and shared bread with them at table they finally recognized Him and acknowledged to each other how their hearts were burning within them as He spoke to them.

The willingness of these two disciples to listen to and offer hospitality to a stranger transformed them. Their eyes opened, they hastened to Jerusalem, to share with the 11, their experience of the Risen Lord, their renewed hope, and their recommitment to Jesus. They were eager to witness to their belief in Him and His message.

During his speech in Acts, Peter charged that lawless men crucified Jesus, declared “God raised this Jesus,” and proclaimed “of this we are all witnesses.”

In the excerpt from his First Letter, Peter urges Christians in danger of renouncing their faith in the face of pagan hostility to recall how Christ ransomed them from their futile behavior; he exhorts them to conduct themselves with dignity and respect. By living up to the demands of a Christian moral life, they can show gratitude for what God did for them through Jesus and be effective, worthy witnesses to the Risen Lord.

Peter’s words, spoken and written, are as timely for us today as they were for the men and women of the first century. We live in a society often hostile to Gospel values. How easy it would be for us to return to or lapse into a sinful, destructive way of life! How readily we could cast aside our faith, abandon hope and relinquish our dreams!

In different ways today’s Scriptures suggest a strong, close, personal relationship with our Risen Lord can help us surmount the problems and setbacks that are bound to come our way from time to time.

Peter insists we never forget how Jesus gave of Himself for us and reminds us when all seemed lost, God did not abandon Jesus – He exalted and glorified Him. What an inspiring thought to include in our daily prayer and meditation as we struggle to accept Our Father’s will and carry the crosses He sends us!

If we open ourselves to Jesus as Cleopas and his companion did, we would be better disposed to participate in the Eucharist, embracing the message of the Scriptures and receiving Our Lord, the bread of life, over and over again.

Hopefully, we would come away from every encounter with Our Loving Savior refreshed, renewed and full of hope, eager to share with others what He did for us. What help we could give to others when they are discouraged, anxious, fearful or filled with self doubt! What great witnesses we would be!

    Readings for the Third Sunday of Easter
    Acts 2:14, 22-33
    1 Peter 1:17-21
    Luke 24: 13-35

Father Dulaney is a parochial vicar at St. Gregory the Great parish, Bellerose, and a chaplain at St. Edmund’s H.S., Sheepshead Bay.