Road to Emmaus

 

Today we hear the familiar story of the road to Emmaus. The two disciples are on their way from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They were conversing about all the things that had occurred. We hear how energized they had been by the life they had experienced in Jesus, and about how they were reeling from his suffering and death. And then a stranger walked with them, asking them why they looked so downcast. How could he not know about the things that had happened? Whoever this stranger was, they felt comfortable enough to share their raw disappointment about what had happened to Jesus. They had hoped that Jesus would be the one to redeem Israel. Their hopes were dashed.

In many ways the disciples represent us. At the Eucharist Jesus joins us in a special way. Jesus is always with me, guiding me, helping me to be joyful, and to give me hope and joy. One of my favorite songs for this time is In the Breaking of the Bread by Michael Ward. It reminds me that God is at work in us, as God was through Jesus, leading us to walk through the loss of the past, and any turmoil in the present, into the future that God dreams for us.

"In the Breaking of the Bread" by Michael Philip Ward

1) In the walking on the road, we saw Him. In the telling of our hopes, we saw Him. In the burning of our hearts, we saw the Lord. At the meal He took the bread and then He blessed it, broke it, offered it.

Refrain: In the breaking of the bread, we saw Him! Suddenly our eyes were opened, and we knew he was alive.

2) We set out to find His friends to tell them. We went to Jerusalem to tell them; and with joy we told them, "We have seen the Lord!" And as we were speaking there, He stood among us, blessed us, said to us, "Now my peace I leave with you."

3) But then we became afraid without Him. In the darkened room we stayed without Him, waiting for the One He said that He would send. Then the Spirit of the Lord came down upon us, filling us, changing us, giving us the strength to say:

 4) We ran out into the street to tell them, everyone that we could meet, to tell them, "God has raised Him up and we have seen the Lord!" We took bread as He had done and then we blessed it, broke it, offered it.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!