Jesus Walks beside Us

In today's Gospel, Luke 24: 13-35, we encounter two of Jesus' disciples conversing about what has happened over the past three days, the crucifixion and death of their Master. Bewildered that the Person whom they thought would rebuild the nation of Israel and free them from Roman control, these two disciples are leaving the city of Jerusalem, where the murder of their Master took place. They are on their way to Emmaus.  "And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. He asked them, 'What are you discussing as you walk along? They stopped, looking downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, 'Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?' And he replied to them, 'What sort of things?'"  And the two disciples tell Jesus everything!  Jesus listens!  When the disciples stopped talking, Jesus says to them: "Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?' Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures."

Notice several things about Jesus:  1) He quietly joins the two disciples. No fanfare! No one-up-man-ship. Jesus does not show off. In fact, He hides His identity!  2) He walks beside them, not behind them nor in front of them. 3) He asks questions, wanting and encouraging the disciples to tell Him what is on their minds. He wants to know what is troubling them! 4) Jesus listens. He does not interrupt! 5) Once the disciples finish telling all, Jesus opens the Scriptures for them, explaining  passages that refer to Christ.  He still does not overwhelm them by revealing to them who is walking beside them! 6) He accepts the disciples' invitation to stay with them, as it was getting dark! 7) He shared the Eucharist with them: He "took bread, said the blessing, broken it, and give it to them."  8)  He opened their eyes and they recognized Him. 9) He touched their hearts deeply: "'Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?'"

Jesus is no different today than back then! 

• He walks beside us!
• He joins us as a quiet listener in our debates with one another (or with ourselves)!
• He hides His identity as the God! We do not see Him in His divinity!
• He wants us to tell all! He wants us to tell Him what is bothering us!
• Jesus listens without interrupting us!
• He opens the Scriptures for us!
• He accepts our invitation to stay with us, "as it is nearly evening and the day is almost over," that is, it is getting dark! 
• He takes bread, says the blessing, breaks it, and gives it to us in the Eucharist as our nourishment, our strength, our purification, our communion with God made flesh with our flesh!