Word and Deed
- Gary Fritsch
- Apr 22
- 3 min read
In describing Jesus to Jesus (the stranger on the road), the disciples on the way to Emmaus said that Jesus was a prophet mighty in Word and Deed. I'm not sure they knew how prophetic their own words would be. This is the way that Jesus intended to be with us until the end of the age: in Word and Deed.
These two terms should guide every day of the Christian life. To provide a pattern for this that the disciples will not only remember but be able to replicate without Jesus physically walking with them, Jesus 'hides' himself as they walk along the road. He will feed them with every word that comes from the mouth of God - showing that He has been in the world as long as the world has been - through the words of the prophets. He links these ancient stories with the events of His own life so that they can see that He was always meant to be and always WILL BE as He has promised them.
At the end of their journey - they are craving more. More what? More truth. His truth is liberating and exhilarating. So He stays to share one more truth: He will never leave them. Right before their eyes He becomes the bread, so that they can believe that the bread becomes Him. In a plot twist that Satan surely did not see, Jesus turns His death into the sacrificial meal that will allow Him to physically become one with millions and billions of people throughout the earth, so that His Word will be shared - not as a book (sorry Sola Scripturists) but, as it was on the road to Emmaus - coupled with a living life, a life patterned after Him as it can only occur when He is a living part of it. This living bread come down from Heaven would fuel all of the deeds that would accompany The Word in the early church and all the way to today.
In the reading from Acts, Peter and John imitate Jesus perfectly and after preaching Christ risen from the dead, they bring new life to the cripple. How? How do they do this? Well they knew Jesus personally, so that was it right? Well it helped them for sure, but what really fueled them was this: Word and Deed. They remained in the Word of Jesus so that they would know what the Master would say and do. And they fueled themselves with His very Body and Blood so that they might do the deeds that accompanied The Word.
We are also called to this. We don't have to say, 'stand up and walk', but we have to start like Peter does: “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you." What we do have is this: the best news ever. We are eternal beings through Christ and this life is our opportunity to bring His Love to world, starting with the person in front of us. I promise you that if this is your focus every day, you will indeed see miracles happen. If you feel like you are not strong enough, come to the Eucharist and allow Him to do the work in and through you - that's why He gave Himself to us in this way. Each time you receive, pray that He will come alive in you allowing you to imitate Him and love better than you ever have before.
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