Luke 24:13-19,28-35
13 On that same day two of Jesus' followers were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking to each other about all the things that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed, Jesus himself drew near and walked along with them; 16 they saw him, but somehow did not recognize him. 17 Jesus said to them, “What are you talking about to each other, as you walk along?”
They stood still, with sad faces. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn't know the things that have been happening there these last few days?”
19 “What things?” he asked.
“The things that happened to Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “This man was a prophet and was considered by God and by all the people to be powerful in everything he said and did.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
13 On that same day two of Jesus' followers were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking to each other about all the things that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed, Jesus himself drew near and walked along with them; 16 they saw him, but somehow did not recognize him. 17 Jesus said to them, “What are you talking about to each other, as you walk along?”
They stood still, with sad faces. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn't know the things that have been happening there these last few days?”
19 “What things?” he asked.
“The things that happened to Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “This man was a prophet and was considered by God and by all the people to be powerful in everything he said and did.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
Reflection
Mother Teresa in her private writings later published as “Come Be My Light” recorded all manner of things but perhaps the most profound were the passages that describe her disconnect from God. She was so faithful that she wished her letters and diaries would be destroyed after her death, so that no one would know of her separation from God, and their faith would be influenced by that.
It is hard for us to imagine; this faithful servant devoting her life to the selfless care of others and her great success in this endeavour yet she felt abandoned by God. She encouraged and inspired others to follow her lead yet her prayers for connection and communication with God went unanswered.
I read her diary and felt sadness. Her feeling that God had deserted her echoes the cries of Jesus on the cross : Eloi, Eloi lema sabachthani” (My God, my God,
Why have you forsaken me?”) We hear those words on Good Friday and we despair with Jesus.
Mother Teresa in her private writings later published as “Come Be My Light” recorded all manner of things but perhaps the most profound were the passages that describe her disconnect from God. She was so faithful that she wished her letters and diaries would be destroyed after her death, so that no one would know of her separation from God, and their faith would be influenced by that.
It is hard for us to imagine; this faithful servant devoting her life to the selfless care of others and her great success in this endeavour yet she felt abandoned by God. She encouraged and inspired others to follow her lead yet her prayers for connection and communication with God went unanswered.
I read her diary and felt sadness. Her feeling that God had deserted her echoes the cries of Jesus on the cross : Eloi, Eloi lema sabachthani” (My God, my God,
Why have you forsaken me?”) We hear those words on Good Friday and we despair with Jesus.
A contemporary religious poem that you may remember is “Footprints in the Sand” written by Margaret Fishback Powers:
One night I had a dream…
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord, and
Across the sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand;
One belonged to me, and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of my life flashed before us,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that many times along the path of my life,
There was only one set of footprints.
I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest
and saddest times in my life.
This really bothered me, and I questioned the Lord about it.
“Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
You would walk with me all the way;
But I have noticed that during the
most troublesome times in my life,
There is only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why in times when I
needed you the most, you should leave me.
The Lord replied, “My precious, precious child.
I love you, and I would never,
never leave you during your times of trial and suffering.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you.
One night I had a dream…
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord, and
Across the sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand;
One belonged to me, and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of my life flashed before us,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that many times along the path of my life,
There was only one set of footprints.
I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest
and saddest times in my life.
This really bothered me, and I questioned the Lord about it.
“Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
You would walk with me all the way;
But I have noticed that during the
most troublesome times in my life,
There is only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why in times when I
needed you the most, you should leave me.
The Lord replied, “My precious, precious child.
I love you, and I would never,
never leave you during your times of trial and suffering.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you.
There are times when we feel alone, when we feel we have to be strong for others and so put on a good face while our world is collapsing inside of us.
There are times when we feel abandoned.
Our scripture passage today has two disciples walking on the road trying to figure out what had happened to Jesus, and to their lives in the wake of Jesus’ crucifixion. After all his crucifixion meant one thing- that Jesus had died - but the women’s tale and subsequent verification of the empty tomb by others; well, what did that mean?
In Luke’s story, a fellow traveller (Jesus, but not recognized by them as such) recounts to them the biblical passages related to the Messiah after he finds out what they are talking about. Still, they do not recognize Jesus, even though I’m guessing they must have discussed these passages with him dozens of times before. But they do find this stranger interesting and so invite him to stay with them. As they sit down to eat, Jesus takes the bread and breaks it for the blessing of their meal and their eyes are opened. Here is Jesus, crucified and risen, with them! Unrecognized, unknown but realized in the breaking of bread.
There are times when we feel abandoned.
Our scripture passage today has two disciples walking on the road trying to figure out what had happened to Jesus, and to their lives in the wake of Jesus’ crucifixion. After all his crucifixion meant one thing- that Jesus had died - but the women’s tale and subsequent verification of the empty tomb by others; well, what did that mean?
In Luke’s story, a fellow traveller (Jesus, but not recognized by them as such) recounts to them the biblical passages related to the Messiah after he finds out what they are talking about. Still, they do not recognize Jesus, even though I’m guessing they must have discussed these passages with him dozens of times before. But they do find this stranger interesting and so invite him to stay with them. As they sit down to eat, Jesus takes the bread and breaks it for the blessing of their meal and their eyes are opened. Here is Jesus, crucified and risen, with them! Unrecognized, unknown but realized in the breaking of bread.
How often have those two disciples been us? Lost in our own doubt, fear and anxiety, we walk alone not willing or able to recognize who is walking with us.
I love this passage, not because of the breaking of bread, although that gesture is so meaningful; but because of the disciples reaction to the event. Jesus disappeared but their eyes had been opened, their hearts had been ignited and their joy cannot be contained, they immediately got up and rushed back to Jerusalem to find the other disciples shouting: “The Lord is Risen, indeed!”
What is it that prevents us from shouting with them?
What is it that prevents us from seeing Jesus in whatever form walking with us sharing the Good News?
What is it that prevents us from acknowledging that God is always with us?
Our faith rests on the affirmation that whatever happens in this life we are not alone. Mother Theresa did not lose faith through long years of yearning for communication with God and only finding gratitude in the eyes of countless people in her care. How many of us have looked back at our tracks in the sand and have seen only one set of footprints? How many of us will now rise and recognize Jesus in our lives?
I love this passage, not because of the breaking of bread, although that gesture is so meaningful; but because of the disciples reaction to the event. Jesus disappeared but their eyes had been opened, their hearts had been ignited and their joy cannot be contained, they immediately got up and rushed back to Jerusalem to find the other disciples shouting: “The Lord is Risen, indeed!”
What is it that prevents us from shouting with them?
What is it that prevents us from seeing Jesus in whatever form walking with us sharing the Good News?
What is it that prevents us from acknowledging that God is always with us?
Our faith rests on the affirmation that whatever happens in this life we are not alone. Mother Theresa did not lose faith through long years of yearning for communication with God and only finding gratitude in the eyes of countless people in her care. How many of us have looked back at our tracks in the sand and have seen only one set of footprints? How many of us will now rise and recognize Jesus in our lives?
A New Creed
We are not alone,
we live in God's world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God's presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.
We are not alone,
we live in God's world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God's presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.
