The Road to Emmaus: reflection for 3rd Sunday of Easter
Lots of people are coping with lesser or greater disappointments just now. Many people’s disappointments are expressed in sentences that begin, ‘We had hoped’. ‘We had hoped to go on holiday today’. ‘We had hoped to get married this Easter’. ‘We had hope to get enough PPE.’ ‘We had hoped to be there when s/he died.’ ‘We had hoped for a funeral with all the family and friends.’
Today's Gospel reading (Luke 24: 13 – 35) is about 2 of Jesus’ disappointed followers. Jesus, in whom they had hoped, had been crucified. Confusion and fear added to their grief. Jesus' tomb was empty, his body missing. Women told of angels who said Jesus is alive. Cleopas and his companion didn't know what to believe. Bruised by the shock of Friday’s Crucifixion and Sunday’s disturbing rumours, they retreated to safety away from Jerusalem and set off to walk to Emmaus.
On the way, a Stranger came alongside. Jesus was in their thoughts and conversation, but when Jesus walked with them, they didn't recognise him. Jesus asked what they’d been discussing? For some reason they trusted him enough to tell him their story. How they'd believed in Jesus, the powerful prophet. How they “had hoped" Jesus would be the Saviour of their nation. How it had begun so well. How Jesus inspired hope and did amazing things. How Jesus showed such love, especially to people without hope. How Jesus had enemies who got him arrested and tried. How he was condemned to death, a judicial murder, on a rubbish heap, without dignity, slowly and shamefully. He didn’t deserve that. He’d done no wrong. Now, it was finished. Jesus had died, was buried and now his body has gone.
Jesus listened to them, and then was blunt in his response. He told the 2 disciples they were foolish and slow-hearted. Hadn’t they understood the prophets? Jesus started with the books of Moses, and went on through the prophets, explaining everything in the Scriptures that referred to him. It must have been an inspiring exposition, because later they said,
"Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the scriptures to us?"That could have been the end of the story, except for what happened when they reached Emmaus, where they planned to stay. It was almost evening and the Stranger acted as if he were going further. I love it that Jesus didn’t identify himself or pressurise them to offer hospitality. 600 years ago, Mother Julian of Norwich wrote about the “exquisite courtesy” of Jesus. This is a beautiful example. Jesus had helped those 2 disciples to see things differently but didn’t push them to respond. The Risen Jesus doesn't force his presence on any of us. He waits in love, gives us space to choose to welcome Him, or not. Cleopas and the other disciple made their choice. They strongly urged him,
"Stay and have supper with us. It's nearly evening. The day is done."
Something had made them reluctant to let him go. Their culture of hospitality? Or the dawning recognition of who the Stranger might be?
Jesus stayed with them, and here's what happened. At supper, Jesus took the initiative. As the unidentified Guest, Jesus acted as Host. Jesus took the bread, gave thanks to God, broke the bread and gave it to those 2 disciples. In that simple but familiar action
Jesus stayed with them, and here's what happened. At supper, Jesus took the initiative. As the unidentified Guest, Jesus acted as Host. Jesus took the bread, gave thanks to God, broke the bread and gave it to those 2 disciples. In that simple but familiar action
"their eyes were opened and they recognised him".
Although they had been disillusioned, recently bereaved in terrible circumstances, they had found themselves walking with Jesus. Jesus had opened their eyes through the scriptures and action, as they had shared with him their minds, hearts, food and lodging.
Those 2 disciples on the way to Emmaus hadn’t expected to meet the Risen Jesus. But Jesus surprised them with joy, initially by coming alongside them as a Stranger. They were anything but joyful when they started their walk of about 7 miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Disappointed and discouraged, purpose and hope gone, they’d lost Jesus and all he meant to them. Cleopas and his companion (perhaps his wife) wanted to lie low, find a safer place to stay than Jerusalem, where their Master had been so cruelly killed. But, at the end of the story they got up and returned eagerly to Jerusalem to find the Eleven and other disciples, to tell them how they met the risen Lord. He’d walked and talked with them and made himself known in the breaking of the bread. This was an astonishing change for those 2 walkers to Emmaus. Travel at night was not safe and by then it was night. Going back to Jerusalem with the possibility of being identified as a follower of Jesus was not safe. In completely changing their plans and setting out on that return journey they took an enormous risk. Because of their encounter with Jesus they set out on an unexpected risky path and became witnesses of Jesus’ Resurrection.
The Emmaus Road story shows God can surprise us. Many have experienced God-given surprises on their walk of faith or towards faith. As an atheist, C.S. Lewis tried to avoid God, but had a growing sense of an unseen presence. He wrote
The truth of Jesus' new life began to dawn on them. Then Luke tells us that Jesus disappeared from their sight. A reminder that Christian disciples walk by faith not by sight. For Cleopas and his companion, Jesus remained with them, truly alive, like a fire in their hearts. It changed them and their plans.
Those 2 disciples on the way to Emmaus hadn’t expected to meet the Risen Jesus. But Jesus surprised them with joy, initially by coming alongside them as a Stranger. They were anything but joyful when they started their walk of about 7 miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Disappointed and discouraged, purpose and hope gone, they’d lost Jesus and all he meant to them. Cleopas and his companion (perhaps his wife) wanted to lie low, find a safer place to stay than Jerusalem, where their Master had been so cruelly killed. But, at the end of the story they got up and returned eagerly to Jerusalem to find the Eleven and other disciples, to tell them how they met the risen Lord. He’d walked and talked with them and made himself known in the breaking of the bread. This was an astonishing change for those 2 walkers to Emmaus. Travel at night was not safe and by then it was night. Going back to Jerusalem with the possibility of being identified as a follower of Jesus was not safe. In completely changing their plans and setting out on that return journey they took an enormous risk. Because of their encounter with Jesus they set out on an unexpected risky path and became witnesses of Jesus’ Resurrection.
The Emmaus Road story shows God can surprise us. Many have experienced God-given surprises on their walk of faith or towards faith. As an atheist, C.S. Lewis tried to avoid God, but had a growing sense of an unseen presence. He wrote
"you must picture me…alone…night after night, feeling, whenever my mind lifted even for a second from my work, the steady, unrelenting approach of Him whom I so earnestly desired not to meet."
Gradually he admitted God was God. One night he knelt and prayed as, (in his words)
“perhaps … the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England."
He started to read the gospels and attend church but struggled with the identity of Jesus. Like those on the way to Emmaus the final step into joy came on a journey.
“I was driven to Whipsnade one sunny morning. When we set out, I did not believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and when we reached the zoo I did."
He was surprised by the joy of the risen Christ on the road to the zoo.
Emmaus Road experiences happen! Perhaps you are on the way to one – if you are you won’t know it – yet. The first followers of Jesus were called ‘People of the Way’. If you are confined to home, you may feel you are going nowhere, but lockdown doesn’t prevent walking with Christ in his Way. Lockdown doesn’t prevent asking the Holy Spirit of Jesus to open the Scriptures to your mind and heart as you read them. Lockdown doesn’t prevent welcoming Christ into your home and receiving his peace. Lockdown doesn’t prevent sharing the love of Christ in new and creative ways.
Whatever you face today, remember that Christ walks with you, even if you do not recognize him in the stranger or friend alongside you. “You’ll never walk alone” even if you feel alone.
Prayer:
Emmaus Road experiences happen! Perhaps you are on the way to one – if you are you won’t know it – yet. The first followers of Jesus were called ‘People of the Way’. If you are confined to home, you may feel you are going nowhere, but lockdown doesn’t prevent walking with Christ in his Way. Lockdown doesn’t prevent asking the Holy Spirit of Jesus to open the Scriptures to your mind and heart as you read them. Lockdown doesn’t prevent welcoming Christ into your home and receiving his peace. Lockdown doesn’t prevent sharing the love of Christ in new and creative ways.
Whatever you face today, remember that Christ walks with you, even if you do not recognize him in the stranger or friend alongside you. “You’ll never walk alone” even if you feel alone.
Prayer:
Risen Lord Jesus,walk beside us, as we voice our deepest fear.
Walk beside us, in our grief and our confusion.
Walk beside us, our Companion on the Way.
Risen Lord Jesus,
Walk beside us, in our grief and our confusion.
Walk beside us, our Companion on the Way.
Risen Lord Jesus,
stay with us as we pour out our hearts to you.
Stay with us and open our minds to your truth.
Stay with us and give us your living Bread.
Stay with us and open our minds to your truth.
Stay with us and give us your living Bread.
Risen Lord Jesus,
renew our faith,
increase our hope,
and set our hearts on fire with your love. Amen.
Image Credits: Tissot, The Pilgrims of Emmaus, Public Domain
Bloemaert, The Emmaus Disciples, Wikipedia
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