Our Emmaus Moment

 In today's Gospel, Luke 24: 13-35, two disciples are on their way to Emmaus, having left Jerusalem following Jesus' death. They are discussing and debating all that happened "when Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him."  Jesus asked the two disciples what they are discussing as they walk along. Downcast, they say to Jesus: "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?"  Still remaining incognito, Jesus asks: "What sort of things?"   "The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him.  But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his Body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive."  Jesus is exasperated at the foolishness of these two disciples and proceeds to explain all of the Scriptures to them that pertain to Him, beginning with Moses and all the prophets.  When Jesus finished, the disciples invited Him to stay and have a meal with them. And he did. In the breaking of the bread, the eyes of the disciples were opened and they recognized the risen Lord.   He then  left them.  Astounded, they said to one another: "'Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?'  So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the  Eleven and those who were saying, 'The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!'"  The two disciples then when on to tell the Eleven what happened to them on their way to Emmaus and how the risen Lord "was made known to them in the breaking of the bread."

Amazing! Jesus joins them on their walk to Emmaus and asks them what they are discussing, as though he did not know!   He acts dumb! "What things," He asks!  And the two disciples respond: "What? You don't know? You must be the only visitor to Jerusalem this weekend who is ignorant of what took place!"  Imagine that scene!  But also know that what happened here between the two disciples and Jesus happens between Jesus and us and our friends. When we are debating our faith or troubled about what is going on in our lives and around the world, Jesus joins us, as well. He is interested in what troubles us, what causes us confusion, what is difficult for us to understand.  "What things are troubling you," Jesus asks. "What don't you understand?" 

The Scriptures of our lives refer to Jesus as well as to us! So, Jesus  walks beside us, sits at table with us, and waits for the right moment to open the Scriptures for us, both the Scriptures that reveal Jesus Himself and those that reveal God at work in our lives! All we need to do is give Jesus an opportunity to talk with us and sit at table with us! In His timing, He will open our eyes and reveal Himself to us.