April 22, 2026
Paulist Fr. Rich Andre preached this brief homily for the 3rd Sunday of Easter on April 19, 2026 at Old St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Chicago, IL. The homily is based on the day’s readings: Acts 2:14, 22-33; Psalm 16; 1 Peter 1:17-21; and Luke 24:13-35.
This weekend, we’re back in the gospel of Luke on Easter Sunday itself. Let’s try to imagine these two disciples on the road to Emmaus. They are not in Jesus’ innermost circle, but they know the apostles. They are despondent that Jesus, whom they thought was the Messiah, has been crucified.
What I love most about this story is that illustrates that what Jesus said: “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Today, we have the privilege to hear from parishioner Cathy Walz, one of the people has most helped me in the past two years in helping to make Christ present in the Old St. Mary’s community. Cathy will be encouraging you to make a pledge to the Annual Paulist Appeal.
Like the disciples in Emmaus, may we discover Christ present among us at this Mass in the breaking of the bread, in the proclamation of scripture, and in our celebration of God’s merciful love!
Imagine Cleopas and his companion on the road on Easter Sunday. It’s the end of the world for them. They had placed their hope in Jesus as the Messiah, and now Jesus had been crucified. Whatever and wherever Emmaus was, they intended it to be some sort of escape, a place to forget.
We don’t know the identity of the companion accompanying Cleopas. Some scholars have suggested that it must be a woman, since throughout the gospel, Luke always pairs a man and a woman as witnesses together. Others have suggested that the unnamed disciple is us!
Then a third person begins to walk with Cleopas and his companion, and they start to feel their hearts burning. By the time they reach Emmaus, they realize a spiritual presence among them, even if they don’t realize that it is Jesus himself until the breaking of the bread.
[Pause.] The Church says that, as a priest, I function in some parts of the liturgy in the person of Christ, such as the moment when I break the bread. But for most parts of the Mass and for the rest of my ministry throughout the week, I think of myself functioning in the role of Cleopas’ companion. My primary mission as a Paulist Father is to walk alongside other people, hear their stories, and then point out how God has been present all along in the burning of their hearts.
I now invite up a member of our community to speak about the Annual Paulist Appeal. Cathy Walz’s job in the Archdiocese of Chicago is to accompany parishes facing transitions, helping them to find Christ’s presence in times of upheaval. Due to her great gifts in counsel and accompaniment, Cathy Walz joined the Paulist Lay Advisory Board last year. In that role, she helps the Paulist Fathers discern how best to continue our mission throughout the world.
Editor’s note: We encourage you to make a donation to the Annual Paulist Appeal, an essential source of revenue for the Paulist Fathers to recruit and train seminarians, care for senior priests, and support our national ministries. You can make a one-time or recurring donation at paulist.org/apa. If you do not already have an affiliation with a specific Paulist foundation, Fr. Rich encourages you to indicate “Old St. Mary’s – Chicago.” Thanks for your generosity!
Below, please find parishioner Cathy Walz’s delivery of this year’s Annual Paulist Appeal to the Old St. Mary’s community.