From Dejection to Testimony!

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

Acts 3:1-10; Lk 24: 13-35

Today’s Gospel highlights the transformation of the two dejected disciples into committed witnesses of Christ’s resurrection.

How did the transformation take place? 

The two disciples on their way to Emmaus were dejected about ‘everything that had happened’ because of their false hopes of a Messiah who was not. According to them, the Messiah would redeem Israel and reestablish the Mosaic theocracy. They expected that Jesus would be the Messiah of their fashion. Hence, they developed expectations about Jesus as the glorified Messiah despite the fact that Jesus foretold his passion, death, and resurrection three times. They were in denial mode when Jesus identified himself to be the ‘suffering servant.’ This is why Jesus had to rebuke them, ‘How slow you are to believe everything that the prophets have said.’ The journey of the dejected disciples becomes a transforming one only when they open their ears to Christ’s explanations from the Scriptures about the crucifixion and resurrection of the Messiah. Though the same explanations had been given by Jesus earlier, they experienced ‘the burning hearts’ only now. 

Once they embrace the moment of transformation, the two dejected disciples become committed witnesses to Christ’s resurrection. When their eyes were opened at the breaking of the bread, they did not hold back. They not only checked in with each other to confirm, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’ but also rushed to the eleven in Jerusalem with the Good News. There in the Upper Room, where Jesus celebrated his Last Supper, they both offered their testimony about recognizing the Lord at the breaking of the bread. They both shared the Good News in such a way that others also understood the real meaning of ‘Christ breaking himself in sacrifice for people and rising in glory.’ Their convincing testimony was so powerful that everyone who was in fear in the room was empowered to become witnesses to Christ’s resurrection ‘in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth’ (Acts 1:8). 

The disciples on the road to Emmaus show us that real transformation is manifested in our commitment to proclaiming the Good News. 

Let us pray that we may all become the true witnesses to the love of Christ. 

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar