The Road to Emmaus

Easter 3a – April 6, 2008

Based on the gospel reading Luke 24:13-35 the Road to Emmaus
“At that moment…….. open –eyed, wide-eyed, they recognized him”!
How do I recognize you, Lord?
When and where have I recognized you?

I hope you each have your own story of a time when your eyes have suddenly been opened – wide – and you recognized Jesus… and if you haven’t, keep watching!

I’d like to share one of mine with you this morning.
It was Palm Sunday, in New Westminster, a joint Ang / UC service, where we started the service at the Anglican church, and then paraded up to the United church for the 2nd part of the liturgy. The children were invited up to sit on the large ‘stage’ at the front, and while someone was telling them a story, my eyes were drawn to toddler. She couldn’t have been more than 2 – still a bit wobbly on her feet as she stood up and began to pick her way amongst the other children. She had a container of something in her little hand – cheerios I assumed – and as she walked among the children she carefully picked one out and gave it to each child. Just one each - sharing what she had – equal piece for each – no preference for her ‘favourites’, or best friends … utterly spontaneous. As it dawned on me what was happening, something warm opened up deep inside me – a recognition (a re-knowing) – it was Eucharist!
Many people saw what was going on, I’m sure: did they all experience what I did? Probably not … we have different experiences of the Risen Christ, as did the disciples: Mary in garden, the disciples gathered together, Thomas, the ones Jesus cooked breakfast for on the beach…

The Road to Emmaus story is a very intimate encounter… (something special about walking & talking together – when we’re troubled, trying to work something out, trying to find our way….I’ve heard people here say they go down to the point to ‘walk’)

• Time spent (7 miles –‘a long way’)
• Stories shared – listening (both sides)
• Relationship established…
• Hospitality offered (they invited him to come in & stay),
• Recognition!

What about our ‘road to Emmaus’? (the journey that leads each of us to the Risen Christ)…

• Where’s Emmaus? perhaps it symbolizes for us the place people go to get away – ‘the town for broken hearts’ – the disciples were trying to get out of town, to escape their confusing situation …the fear, the reality… it might not even be a place, for us; it might be an addiction, a way we escape…

• Takes time – we tell our story, Jesus listens to our disappointments, our sadness, what we’re running away from …. And we in turn hear God’s story – history, creation, salvation, faithfulness, love …

• Through this sharing and listening we build a relationship

• In that relationship we open up– enough to offer hospitality. An invitation to come in… to see us at our most vulnerable. (We don’t ask every stranger we meet to come into our homes, do we? Usually we need to feel safe with the person, because our homes reflect who we really are. We can put on a façade when we’re out, we can dress in our best clothes, or behave in ways that we think will make us acceptable to society, but the inside of our homes … that’s pretty private. That’s where people will see who we really are – the condition of our lives, how we live, what we have to eat…) We know that Jesus stands at the door of our hearts and knocks: but he leaves it up to us to open that door, to offer hospitality – to invite him to come in….

• And in that place of vulnerability – our eyes are opened! We recognize our Lord & Saviour – in his actions, his response to us … We recognize that he IS still alive – wants to be very present to us … IS with us, walking beside, listening… hoping to be invited into our hearts.

There is a ‘warmth’… the disciples mentioned it: “weren’t our hearts on fire?” …. A feeling of peace and love, …. and excitement! God with us! God here among us!

So let us watch for him – this Risen Christ!

• Make time to get to know him – it takes time … like becoming ‘best friends’… tell him your troubles, listen to him talk to you of God (read the scripture, come to church),

• invite him into your life – make yourself vulnerable and open to him, perhaps in a new way – trust him,

• and he WILL reveal himself to you….reveal himself with you –

Then Resurrection Hope will take hold and give you courage to go back into the fray (like the disciples went straight back to Jerusalem) …. to go back and face the unknowns of life.
Let him walk with you!
He was crucified for you!
He was raised from the dead for you!
He offers you his body and blood as food for the journey …your life’s journey!

Thanks be to GOD