Scripture Reflection - April 19, 2026

Third Sunday of Easter

Acts 2:14, 22-33       1 Peter 1:17-21       Luke 24:13-35

“Were not our hearts burning within us?”

Have you ever had a sense of someone’s presence, even though they are gone? Or, that deep sense of peace after making a decision you know would make them happy? Maybe there is something that you think of as a sign from a loved one - a scent, a shape, a song – a touchstone of memory and love.

My Grandma Schaaf was a baker. When you went to my grandparents' house, there were almost always freshly baked cookies. If you were lucky, a recycled bread bag filled with them would come home with you. Really, a recipe from my Grandpa Schaaf’s family, she and my aunts would make Schnitzbrod every Christmas. A German recipe that makes twelve loaves of bread in the original form and six in the cut-down version. The recipe has been passed down for generations, with many details left to be interpreted by the baker. It is now my cousins and I who carry on the tradition. In the breaking of this spiced fruit-filled bread, rich in aroma, toasted and smeared with butter, memories of family gatherings and the simple generosity of my grandparents becomes very real. Love outweighs the sadness of losing them - a sadness which has subsided over the years.

I imagine that the feeling the disciples had when walking and eating with Jesus is similar to this. In their encounter, there is some initial confusion about the presence of a stranger, which turns into wonder and joy, and then wanting more time with Jesus. 

We want to hold onto those reminders of the presence of people we love. 

I find the same is true in prayer. Sometimes we just go through prayer, not feeling much. Then, there are those moments where we can really feel God. These are touchstone moments. Ones we can come back to in times when God doesn’t feel so close. The meal we celebrate in Mass brings Jesus to us in the present each time we gather. Are our eyes opened to recognize Jesus in that moment? Are our hearts burning within us? 

May we, like the disciples, continue to be attentive to Jesus in-breaking into our lives, cherish those moments, and then continue on our journey to share the Good News with others.

Sr. Jenn Schaaf, OP