Easter Thursday: On the road with Jesus

Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, ‘What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?’ They stood still, looking sad. 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?’ 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, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 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. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 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. 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.’ Then he said to them, ‘Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?’ Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 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. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. 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?’ That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, ‘The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!’ Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. 

[Luke 24:13–35]

The story of the Emmaus encounter is one of my favourite resurrections stories, because it reminds us of how we know someone, often not in their words, but in their touch. In this story Jesus spends time talking through the meaning of the resurrection with his friends, yet it is only as he breaks the bread that their eyes are finally opened, and they see. In this there is a direct link to the Last Supper, where Jesus takes the bread, blesses it and breaks it, but they must also have seen him do this on countless occasions. It is a reminder that so often we recognise someone, not because of the words they say, but because of who they are: their touch; the appearance; or something they do.

There is also a connection between the word, written and spoken, and the Mass, a link made explicit here. Each enlightens the other, we cannot understand the word of God by ourselves, but only through the Spirit and in the Mass. (The Mass and Last Supper show us who God is, and what he's like.) Similarly we cannot understand the Mass or who God is unless we study his word, the word through which he reveals himself.

I love this painting of the Emmaus encounter by Ceri Richards which hangs in St Edmunds (“Teddy”) Hall in Oxford. It is just after Jesus has taken and blessed the bread, the eyes of the two disciples have been opened, and they see Jesus being taken from them. But he is taken from them into what looks like a cross formed of light. The Cross cast its shadow throughout the life of Jesus, now it casts its light into the early Church, and enlightens us even now.