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Reflection for the 3Rd Week of Eastertide- the Road to Emmaus

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Reflection for the 3Rd Week of Eastertide- the Road to Emmaus Week 3 Reflection on the Risen Lord Luke 24: 13-35 The Walk to Emmaus 13 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. I am lucky that I am able to spend a couple of months each summer on our narrow boat, with my husband and our dog, cruising on the canals and waterways. It’s a lovely way to see the beautiful British countryside, to appreciate industrial architecture and to meet some really interesting people. Total strangers will engage with us when we are operating a lock or walking the towpath with the dog or just when we are moored up and soaking up the sun. One thing we have both remarked on over the years is how often these strangers will open up and unload their worries and concerns onto one or other of us, it`s almost as if they feel safe confiding in someone they will probably never see again. In the past few years we have listened to all sorts of family issues and sadness’s; we try not to judge people or to solve their problems... I don’t know why it happens, but its not an uncommon experience of ours, and we just hope that by listening with a sympathetic ear we are able help others in some way to see a clearer way forward. So I wonder if it was something like this that made Cleopas and his companion open up to the stranger who met them on the road to Emmaus. This account in Luke`s gospel is one of the best known stories about Jesus after his resurrection. Two of Jesus` followers were on their way to Emmaus about 7 miles from Jerusalem. They were deeply depressed and saddened by the events of the past few days, the arrest and death of Jesus and the mystery of his missing body from the tomb, and no doubt, as a result, they felt that the bottom had fallen out of their world. Then a stranger appeared and when he asked what they were talking about it became the perfect opportunity for them to pour out their story and share it with him. The stranger listened, and then, using the knowledge that they already had of the scriptures, he explained how what they had witnessed in the last few days all fitted together. He talked to them about a Messiah who would suffer and then enter into glory ...but they found that hard to understand....how can a violent death result in glory ? The defining moment for them however, was when they all sat at table and the stranger blessed and broke the bread. They had probably seen Jesus do this many times in the past when they had shared the Sabbath meal but suddenly, as he reached out, and maybe they glimpsed his wounded wrists, their eyes were opened to who he was. This story is often used to remind us how we recognise the presence of the resurrected Lord in our Eucharist, when we break bread and take wine and share this together we encounter Jesus` living presence just as Cleopas and his companion did that evening. At the moment, of course, we can`t share broken bread and wine, we receive instead a spiritual communion in which the presiding priest receives on our behalf. Also we can`t go on walks or journeys with others, or meet up with people to share our news and concerns, but that doesn’t need to stop us being followers of Christ and sharing that joy. Because the other elements of this account of the road to Emmaus are still relevant, these are about learning from scripture and about sharing the joy of the risen Lord. As Jesus walked with them he opened the travellers minds to understanding the scriptures that they already knew well, to revisit them and see them in a new light. Perhaps now when our lives are on pause, this could be an opportunity for us to revisit scripture, to look at it again with new eyes and see what new revelations God opens up to us. Reading one of the Gospels from beginning to end is a good way of doing this and Marks gospel is a good one to start with. Secondly, the story shows us how excited the travellers were to have encountered Jesus, so excited that they immediately raced back to Jerusalem to tell their friends. Are we excited by knowing the risen Lord ? How do we share this joy with others? Maybe we could do what our Lord did on that day and journey alongside our friends by contacting them and listening to them in their concerns and giving them the opportunity to articulate their anxieties. In doing so we are witnessing to our faith and showing that, no matter what, Jesus is with us all and shares in all our journeys. We are in effect being the listening ears of Jesus himself. So maybe, at this moment in our history, we need to read the Emmaus road account in a new way . .....use it to be reminded that although we may not be able to share the glory of Christs resurrection through bread and the wine we can still share the joy of the risen Lord that Jesus is alive and with us, in all we are and in all we do. Let us pray .... Lord Jesus Christ, as you walked with the disciples on the road to Emmaus you filled them with courage and hope. You showed them how you were present in their lives and you helped them in their time of need and sadness. We pray that we may be to others as you were to them, that we may have the time to listen to others, not to judge them but to bring them to know your love. Breathe upon us all your life giving Spirit and be with us all this day and evermore. Amen Next week we will think about appearance of Jesus to some of his disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, from John 21 v 1-19. The reading is copied below if you wish to study it in advance. John 21:1-19 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples 21 After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. 2 Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin,[a] Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
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