The road to Emmaus is a quite familiar story to many. The disciples heading away from Jerusalem and along the way they encounter a stranger who walks with them only to discover later in the breaking of the bread this stranger was the risen Lord himself.
In the conversation the disciples have with Jesus they mention the importance of the "third day," as they say, "besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place."
The third day is so very important. It is so important it finds it way in our creed, in our profession of faith, "on the third day he rose again." These are primitive words that trace their origin to the early Jerusalem community, all the way back to the original third day itself.
Pope Benedict points out that "Christendom wanted to establish the first day of the week with absolute certainty as the new day on which the victory of life took place...The Day of the Resurrection is put into the Creed. It belongs to the center of Church faith and life. It is the day new life entered into this world."
Pope Benedict again looks into the Old Testament and helps us see that the "third day" even in the Old Testament stands out as a day of theophany. It was on the third day at mount Sinai that God appears and speaks in regards to the covenant. Thus, the third day of Jesus Resurrection stands as the conclusive event of the Covenant. It is the final entrance of God into history.
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