Jesus’ encounter with Cleopas and his
companion on the road to Emmaus shows
what can happen when someone who has
heard the message of salvation becomes
open to hearing it anew, Hahn said.
“They expressed their fears, hopes and
disappointments, but Jesus, this supposed
stranger, teaches and goes over the Bible,
the law, how he had to suffer,” Hahn said.
“So, hour by hour, law by law, mile by mile
on this road, Jesus shows how important
Bible study is, opening up the Scripture
and the law, how it must be fulfilled. This
is revealed to Cleopas, this lowly layman—
not to Peter or the apostles. It shows the
power of the witness of the laity.”
Hahn, a renowned Catholic author,
speaker and chair of biblical theology
and the new evangelization at Franciscan
University of Steubenville, joined several
other high-profile speakers during Sacred
Heart’s symposium, “Enter Through the
Narrow Gate: The Urgency of the New
Evangelization in the Third Millennium.”
The conference was part of Sacred
Heart’s yearlong centennial celebration,
featuring academics and clergy from
around the country to discuss the role of
priests, deacons and laity in the new evan-
gelization.
Hahn was one of three keynote speak-
ers, including John Cavadini, Ph.D.,
professor of theology at the University of
Notre Dame and director of the McGrath
Institute for Church Life, and Browns-
ville, Texas, Bishop Daniel Flores. Sev-
eral Sacred Heart Major Seminary faculty
members were panelists and commenta-
tors during breakout sessions.
When telling people about Christ,
Hahn said, it’s important not to present
Christ and the Gospels as books, but a se-
ries of actions.
Mary Healy, Ph.D., professor of Sacred
Scripture at Sacred Heart, also offered
commentary on the connection between
the disciples on the road to Emmaus and
the new evangelization.
Jesus’ breaking open the Scriptures un-
derscores how important the early Chris-
tian community held the sacred writings,
as well as the power of the holy Sacrifice of
the Eucharist in the breaking of the bread.
“This homily Jesus delivers, and later
is repeated in the early Christian com-
munity, is 40-45 minutes long, with the
presumption the audience knew and fol-
lowed this theology,” Healy said. “If the
Last Supper was not the Eucharist, then
the crucifix was just an execution. The
early Christian community knew this.”
This was later affirmed by St. John
Paul II, who taught that the Eucharist is
the “source and summit” of the Catholic
faith, Healy added.
“By participating (in the Eucharist),
we’re entering into the wonderful gift of
the covenant,” Healy said.
During his homily Saturday morning at
nearby St. Aloysius Church in downtown
Detroit, Bishop Flores emphasized not
only the importance of recognizing and
receiving the gift of the Eucharist, but in
turn sharing that gift with others.
Mary’s openness to receiving the incar-
nate Lord in the womb is the ultimate ex-
ample of this sharing, Bishop Flores said.
“Mary was blessed by God for receiv-
ing Jesus, but those blessings are passed
on to those to hear Jesus’ words,” Bishop
Flores said. “Mary received Jesus, but then
shared him with the world. So, let us ask
to imitate Mary’s joy, because she said yes,
received the Lord and gave that grace to
the world.”
Daniel Meloy is a staff writer for the Detroit
Catholic.
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