Can you imagine the scene on the Emmaus Road?
Two disciples, one named the other not, are walking wearily back to Emmaus; it has been a rollercoaster of a week. Jesus had entered Jerusalem, had been hailed as a King – and had been crucified for the same reason! He had taught, shared a meal, tried to prepare them for what was to come, and they had witnessed his horrific death, and with that death the loss of all their hopes and dreams.
Oh yes, there were rumours that he had been seen, but… well come on, this just doesn’t happen! Surely wishful thinking.
They reach home, and the stranger they met on the road makes as if he is continuing on, but he is persuaded to come in and eat – and in the breaking of the bread, as their eyes are opened to recognize Jesus, he disappears. And they have that incredible revelation that they have seen the risen Lord.
And they do no more than set back off to Jerusalem, to tell the others. It’s a time full of hope and joy, and when they get there with their momentous news, the others say, “we know we have seen him too!”
The road to Emmaus is one of highs and lows, and they walk with Jesus without realising it. How different was their walk to Emmaus to their return journey to Jerusalem.
I don’t know whether to feel sorry that they made the journey back only to be told that the others already knew, or delighted at the thought that Jesus can move people to such actions, that to meet Jesus is such a tremendous experience you want to tell others that you have seen him.
We are all on a journey, a journey of meeting Christ. Our Emmaus, where Christ can found today, is our community we live in, for the amazing fact is that Christ is already waiting for us when we set out to meet with him. I love it when God surprises us especially when we are being our most pedantic, when we bring all the reason and logic to bear and God just sweeps it away. We have a great God who is not bound by time, logic, gravity or reason; he is beyond all that, and we are constantly being called to encounter him in the strangest of places – and even where we would least expect it.
The Emmaus Road has come to mean a closer walk with Jesus, learning, discovering, listening, finding! Where will your Emmaus Road be this week, and in whose house will you meet the presence of the risen Christ?
Jesus you walk beside us, and share with us – when we are aware of you and when we are not. Thank you that you come where we are, we don’t have to search you out, just long for you. As we receive this gift of being alongside you in our day to day lives, help us not to be selfish, keeping you to ourselves but willing and wanting to share this Good News of your presence with others. Amen
You can download this Prayer for the Week here.
Prayers for April written by Denise Creed.
Image: Emmaus Door (1992) by Janet Brooks-Gerloff
