(James Tissot: The road to Emmaus)
"Stay with us"
Luke 24: 13 - 35
This Sunday we hear a compelling Easter story that moves us
from despair and dejection to great joy and wonder. The beautiful Gospel story of the road to
Emmaus is a walk through darkness to light, from ignorance of Christ to an
understanding of his presence in our midst, and a convincing reminder of the
value of our celebration of the Mass with our community of faith gathered. In this time of exile, I personally find it
especially challenging as we long to be gathered with the Lord again.
Yet, we can enter this experience of those two disciples. It’s helpful for us to put ourselves in their
shoes, or sandals, and try to feel what they felt. In their journey away from
Jerusalem it seems they are walking away from the answer they seek. A lot of questions rise. Why were they walking away from Jerusalem? Where
was Emmaus, a spot never clearly identified?
How could they have not recognized Jesus as he walked with them?
Well, it is a story of faith. They did not expect the risen
Lord to walk with them in such an ordinary setting. They were downcast, in
active conversation, debating and more attentive to their own arguments than
who walked with them.
Luke tells us this took place on that same Sunday evening when
the women had come in that morning to describe the open tomb of Jesus. These
companions were not in the circle of the now eleven Apostles, but somehow still
in their company. They likely did not
hide with the Apostles, yet knew where they were, and somehow heard the
testimony of the women who found the tomb empty that morning. Perhaps Emmaus was their home and they were
simply returning there as they remained downcast and discouraged by all the
events around Jesus’ death, they find themselves in deep conversation along the
way.
Where was Emmaus? There
are presently six spots beyond Jerusalem which have claimed to be such. It really doesn’t matter a specific spot but
good to know that the story is too like other resurrection stories to say it is
only a symbolic event but rather a real encounter these other disciples had of
the risen Christ. The essence of the story is more important than the
geographical details.
So, in the midst of their disillusionment a stranger approaches
and joins them in their walk. Who was
he? They never asked his name but shared
their surprise that he was ignorant of “the things that have taken place there
(in Jerusalem) these past few days.”
They thought him to be a visitor for many came and went from that sacred
City and evidently the crucifixion of Jesus was a hot topic of
conversation.
There is a certain irony in this. Of all that would know those events it would
be Jesus himself! Yet, he gently opens their minds to the scriptures, despite
calling them “foolish.” Maybe a way of saying, “are you so dense you don’t get
it?” It’s not an insult but rather a true pay attention moment.
Jesus begins with the scriptures they knew, the Old Testament,
and opened their minds through an understanding how all pointed to him. That
his death and suffering was prophesied, the suffering Messiah was something
they should have known and connected the dots to the astounding events they had
witnessed. He takes them on a long
explanation from Moses through the prophets.
That’s some scripture study indeed!
And to add the resurrection to that would make the story both complete
and inspirational. Yet, for now it remains
a gradual understanding but something they found burned in their hearts. They ask him to stay with them as they
approach the village, and so he does.
As they broke bread, their eyes were now open; their hearts
filled with faith and their sadness was turned to overwhelming wonder and
joy. They recognized the risen Lord in
their midst in the breaking of the bread.
We can only imagine what a profound moment this was because, though
already at nighttime, they rush back to Jerusalem despite the dangers of night
travel, to relate to the eleven this moment of encounter with the risen
Lord. They must have burst into the
hiding place and shouted, “We have seen him!”
Jesus brought them to understand his presence through the word and in
breaking bread as he did at the Last Supper just four days before, he reveled
himself to them.
To the early Christian Church this story must have been told
again and again. Now, more than 2,000
years after that amazing day, we still hear it with fresh power. During the Easter season we reflect on the
power of our Baptism and this Sunday on the gift of the Eucharist expressed
through our celebration of the Mass.
The famous quote of St. Jerome: “Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ” I think is
meaningful here. The disciples on the road
were trying to understand something they should have known. To connect the lines of prophecy through
their sacred texts would have shown them, as Jesus himself related to them,
that what happened was part of the story.
The empty tomb should have made them stop and wonder and not be
blindsided. But it was all so overwhelming and filled with emotion that it must
have taken some time to sort everything out.
Let’s not miss the point here, however, about ourselves. In the celebration of our Mass we gather, albeit
virtually at this time, to hear the word of God broke open. How carefully do I listen to the words
proclaimed? Do the words just pass over my head as I patiently wait for
Communion? As Catholics we must treasure the sacred texts with the same
reverence as the Eucharist. The living
word of God is reveled to us and although his presence in the scriptures is
different from the Eucharist, it is true and real as someone who talks with you
in conversation is present to you.
Once their hearts were open, they break bread and Jesus is seen
with them. The same is true in our
Mass. Once our hearts are open by God’s
word, we then prepare to meet the Lord under the signs of bread and wine. Although we may not see him as those early
disciples did, we see him present through the eyes of faith. Jesus vanished from their sight but he
remained with them nonetheless. A lesson
now in how he will be present from that time on in his Church. No longer restrained by space and time his
spiritual presence in the sacraments and the hearts of believers is even truer
than before. So we believe this?
In this Easter season let’s pray more intensely for eyes of
faith. Our faith is being tested greatly
at this unprecedented time. The greatest
test we may feel we have is that of our patience, I know it is for me.
Yet, we are all on a walk with the Lord. Even though we may not see him we know as
those disciples experienced that he remains with us and knows our needs. We are invited to companionship with the Lord
as we open our hearts to the Scriptures and to his sacramental presence in our
midst.
Look with kindness upon your people, O Lord,
and grant that those you were pleased to renew
by eternal mysteries
may attain in their flesh
the incorruptible glory of the resurrection.
(Prayer after Communion)
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