Travelers on the Road to Emmaus…
Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16 but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. 18 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?” 19 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, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 21 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. 22 Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23 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. 24 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.” 25 Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! 26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.
28 As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 29 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. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. 32 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?” 33 That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. 34 They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. – Luke 24:13-35
Much like the travelers on the road to Emmaus, I think we will look back and realize that as we were discussing things along the road with each other that it turns out Jesus was right there with us…we just didn’t realize who we were talking with. And like their experience on that road…sometimes his presence is more obvious than at other times. But unlike them, let us make sure that we do, in fact, recognize that Jesus is in on this discussion as well!
It may well be that we won’t see Jesus until we see him in each other. It is hard to attack Jesus 🙂 Truth is, we all have our scars but that is harder to see in someone else when you disagree and so we add to the carnage…may it never be!
It may well be that we won’t see him in each other until we “table” all this social media talk and sit down at a “table” and talk it over face to face. Jesus is best seen when he breaks the bread…so let us get to know each other. Let us break bread together. Let us do the HARD work of reconciliation because it is the right thing to do. It isn’t done best at a keyboard but at a dinner table.
May we be the ones who say “was our heart not burning within us as we talked these issues over because we could see Jesus in the other person!”
