On the road again

My husband and I watched a 2002 documentary (Comedian) featuring Jerry Seinfeld and another comedian we were not familiar with named Orny Adams.

The documentary showed the amount of work that goes into preparing the material they use, as well as the insecurities (mostly Adam’s) that come from being so vulnerable in front of a crowd.

They make it look so easy, but it’s really not easy at all.  I guess we all know that, but to see the beyond-the-scenes nervousness and self-doubt is really quite telling.

Seinfeld didn’t seem to struggle with personal insecurities as much as Adams, but the documentary was done post Seinfeld.  Still, it was clear that Seinfeld still had to work on his craft after being away from stand-up for so long.  He talked about how difficult it is to get back to being comfortable with his material and delivery.

Anyone who has ever done any public speaking—let alone comedy—can completely understand the work that goes into it.  What the audience doesn’t see is the hours and hours of writing and research that must take place to put together a presentation that is both credible and logical.  Add to that the practice and delivery, and it is not surprising so many gifted speakers charge so much for their work!

Personally, I like listening to some of the professional speakers that are highly sought after.  I am always impressed—like with Seinfeld—that they deliver a smooth presentation often without notes.

In the documentary, they showed Seinfeld, paper in hand, reviewing a list of touch points that served to move him from one joke to another.  It looked like he was studying for a test!

To us, they come out confident, loaded with content, but boy do they work hard!

In today’s reading, Jesus had a lot of content he needed to share with the two travelers on the road to Emmaus.  They told him about what happened to him (since they didn’t know it was Jesus) and in return he revealed to them everything about him referred to in scripture.

When he broke bread with them, their eyes were opened and they recognized him.  As soon as they did, he “vanished from their sight.”  Their response was, “Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”

After this took place, they returned at once to Jerusalem to tell the eleven apostles, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!”

(Not to sound like a broken record, but notice the pattern once again that they had to go and tell people that they had seen Jesus.)

Back to my point . . .would you say that your heart is “burning” within you when you receive Jesus in the Eucharist?  Do you have that same sensation when he speaks to you in scripture?

I don’t suppose so, at least not all the time.  You see, sometimes we can be overwhelmed by the presence of Christ and other times our belief hangs on by a thread.

When the latter happens, it can be very scary, but both of these experiences are a normal part of growing in faith.  Most importantly, staying faithful and following Christ even when you feel dry will help you move closer to him.  That’s because our feelings are not what we should be depending on to help us stay the course.

One of the consequences of coming through a period of dryness is the discovery that our gratitude has increased.  We have a greater appreciation for all that God has done for us.  In fact, we have a greater appreciation that we have been given faith in the first place!

Just imagine how the disciples that were leaving town felt when they ran into Jesus on the road.  After realizing that it was Jesus, they couldn’t wait to get back to tell the others. Their confidence bolstered by this experience, their first impulse was to let people know that Jesus had been raised, appeared to Simon and, “was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.”

How can our hearts not be burning within us, when we receive Jesus in the Eucharist at Mass?  How can we, with our eyes finally opened, not rush to tell others?

I encourage you today to contemplate this passage in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 24, and put yourself on that road.  The reality is, each of us is walking that path already, and the question remains, “What will you do after you encounter Jesus?”

Janet Cassidy
janetcassidy.blogspot.com
janetcassidy.blubrry.net