April 26 Lectionary Gospel: Luke 24:13-35

   The Road to Emmaus story is my favorite post-resurrection account.  First of all, what is Jesus doing outside of Jerusalem? Doesn't he have appearances to make in town?  And how does Jesus spend the whole afternoon and evening with these two disciples and still find time to appear to Simon Peter before these two can hoof it back to Jerusalem?

   Let's look at Cleopas and his unnamed friend.  They are conditioned by their history and culture to see what they see, as well as to overlook what they cannot see.  They are dejected and depressed because the man they considered a great prophet, and possibly even the promised Messiah, has been executed.  They could not comprehend of a different kind of Messiah than the one they've been taught to look for.  They are looking for another King David, or at least a political insurrectionist in line with the Maccabean brothers.

These two are also conditioned by their paternalistic culture to discount the women's account of the empty tomb.  Not until men of their company verify that the tomb is empty do they believe it.  And since these men did not actually see Jesus himself, they were skeptical of the claim that he was alive.  The disciples are no different. It is not until Peter recounts his interaction with Jesus that they accept the truth of Jesus' resurrection.

The two disciples, their faith thus limited, start down the road despondent and dejected.

Now, let's look at Jesus.  He has a wicked sense of humor. He approaches these two sad men, knowing full well why they are depressed.  Jesus is unrecognizable to them (why? did he make himself unrecognizable? Were the two walkers unable to recognize Jesus because they couldn't comprehend a risen Jesus? Is it just a literary technique?).  This Stranger pretends to be clueless about current events, and even eggs the two on as they relate the sad current events.  When they finish their story, the Lord responds with not a very polite retort: "You foolish and slow-witted guys.  Can't you understand the Scriptures? That the Messiah had to suffer in order to come into his glory?"

Of course these two didn't comprehend the Scriptures; because, they were conditioned to understand them otherwise.  Jesus then reveals to them the meaning of all scripture during the two-hour walk.  When the three of them reach Emmaus, Jesus pretends like he's continuing down the road.  Knowing that continuing to travel in the wilderness in the dark was very dangerous, they plead with Jesus to stay the night with them.

Jesus' last trick:  when it's time for dinner, Jesus - the guest - usurps the role of host, blesses the bread and breaks it and gives it to the two men. In that act, Jesus reveals his identity, and then disappears!  Do you see what I mean by a wicked sense of humor?

This is a rich story, which can be perceived from many different perspectives.  The application that appeals most to me is to understand the road to Emmaus as a worship experience of the Risen Christ.  The two disciples enter the journey despondent, their faith broken, their hope lost.  On the road, they hear the sermon: the Law and the Prophets interpreted and the Good News of Jesus Christ proclaimed.  The Spirit is moving in this exposition of Scripture -- "did not our hearts burn within us?"

The worshippers reach their home and gather at the table.  Where two or three are gathered, there is the Lord also, made known to the worshippers in the breaking of the bread.  Nourished with the Word preached and the Word consumed in the Eucharist, the two worshippers are restored. Their hearts warmed, their faith strengthened, their hope reborn.  And they go out to share the Good News.  They gather the courage to return to Jerusalem in the dark (remember how unsafe it is to travel at night?) to tell the others that the Lord is risen.

This passage reminds me how much we need to worship in the community of believers at all times, but certainly at this time in our history.  And yet, the worst thing we could do during a pandemic is to gather bodily together around the Table.  However, even as the Lord can appear on a dusty road in the middle of nowhere, Jesus can come to us wherever we are sheltering in place.

We can give thanks that the creators of Zoom and Facebook Live - unwitting ministers of God's grace that they might be - have given us the technology to continue to worship together, even if not in person.  And we can look forward to the day (and it will return!) when we can gather in our respective sanctuaries, mosques and synagogues.  In the meantime, whenever we break bread - around the dinner table, online, when we share our possessions (money, food, toilet paper) with those who are without - the presence of the Risen Lord will be revealed to us.