Emmaus

Easter Day

Today’s Scripture

Luke 24:13-35

Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.” Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Our Last Reflection

He is Risen!

He is Risen indeed

This text on the Road to Emmaus isn’t part of the daily readings, and this Lent we’ve been mostly in the gospel of John, but I jumped off the official track to Luke to use it (the only Gospel that has this version) because it might be my favorite of the Easter stories

The disciples are walking away from Jerusalem. We don’t know why but I can guess. It’s been a 48 hours since the Death and each hour has probably felt like a day and the disbelief and tears are over and now? Now it’s time to come to grips with what we believed. What we had hoped. It wasn’t what we thought it was. It’s time to walk back home.

I started my reflections calling this a “titanium thread”—a spur of the moment self-description to describe my faith in these recent years—unbreakable, but sometimes thin. Much of that comes from wondering when the hope was going to come. Much prayer for our broken world. Much prayer for my broken life. “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” Lord, when does that happen? Hosannah as a plea as much as a declaration. Hosanna - when does your salvation come?

At some point the trust reaches a frayed limit. Yet I know that I am to Trust God Period. vs Trust God for ________.

The latter is to presume on God. It’s to ask for outcomes, not the presence of God itself. This is a sermon I preached regularly and was encouraging to me and others. You trust the person of God not the outcome.

Yet at some key points in life we are always praying for the fill-in-the-blank. God, I need to trust you for __________.

These two on the Emmaus road had trusted God for salvation. For the fulfillment of rescue.

I AM the light of the world, he said.

The light of the world is dead.

I don’t think their faith is completely dead. It’s hanging by a thread. They’re having the conversation. As they walk, they’re talking through it. Still trying to make sense. But they’re walking away.

I love that Jesus appears and they don’t recognize him. This is how God works.

I love that Jesus offers explanation and story about how hope and fear have worked through time—the prophets longing. This is how God works.

I love that even then the two aren’t convinced. Their heads not particularly convincing to their untrusting hearts. This is how humans work.

I love that Jesus pretends to walk on past town… requiring a small response offer of lodging. I imagine this as the cultural requirement to offer hospitality more than big gesture. They do it because you’re supposed to. But it’s enough. A small step towards. An habit of virtue that Jesus uses to open their hearts a bit more. This is how humans work. This is how God works.

And I love that the revelation of hope—the revelation of reality—is at the Table. The place where we eat and meet each other. The place where we meet God. The most holy place in the Kingdom of God.

He took

He blessed

He broke

He gave

These are the same words we recognize from the Table of our Lord. The liturgy of the Eucharist. These are the movements of Jesus meeting us at the table.

The new resurrection meets us, hope tired, threadbare and walking away. Not by mind or force. But in the breaking of the bread we see the God who loves us.

And it strangely warms our hearts.

—

And for this Lent, my heart has been made a bit more alive and my thread a bit stronger as I’ve staying in the scriptures every (almost!) day. For those of you with me, following along where you could, who texted me a thought or clicked a like—your presence was the encouragement I needed to stay with it. We trust God together, not alone. Thanks be to God. He is Risen.