I have met many people who found this story really helped at times when they were down hopes gone, illness and many of the crosses of life. Like for the apostles, Jesus was not visibly present vanished and then they knew he was raised…like us. The presence, active and loving remained. He had accompanied them in a dark journey of life.
Jesus went to them he did not await their visit. Somehow he knew that people of his ‘set’ were in darkness and maybe despair. This is the call of the church to be with people in prayer, community and service always, and especially for what Pope Francis calls ‘the peripheries of life’. Most people spend some time in church, and appreciate the help of love and faith.
Then they went to tell the story of how they were changed. Faith grows in sharing it. A father said ‘in my child’s first communion, I got faith stronger.
If we are honest and open with each other in faith, the faith of everyone grows. They told their story of Jesus in the here and now. Not reminiscing on what things were once like in Galilee. Notice this week where the Lord is present in love, care, creation, an uplift of joy, prayer. Every journey of life can be an Emmaus journey where we meet the Lord. Every altar can be the altar of Emmaus, and indeed every meal can be a time of friendship, care and nourishment for body and for soul.
“Stay with us, Lord, for it is nearly evening…” [24:29]. This was the fervent plea that the two disciples addressed to the stranger who had walked with them along the way. “Stay with us” is also the prayer of the early Church to the Risen Lord that He not abandon them in their searching for His new presence. The nightfall at Emmaus is not only the sunset of that first Easter, but it marks the night of faith and doubt, uncertainty and obscurity, confusion and chaos. As Christians, we know that this night is always followed by the dawn of faith and hope. This is illustrated beautifully by the words of St. Gregory the Great:
Since daybreak or dawn is changed gradually from darkness into light, the church… is fittingly called daybreak or dawn. The dawn hints that the night is over. It does not yet proclaim the full light of day. While dawn dispels darkness and welcomes the light, it holds both of them, the one mixed with the other… Are not all of us who follow the truth in this life daybreak and dawn?
Amidst the shadows of the passing day and the darkness that clouded the disciples’ spirit, the stranger brought a ray of light that rekindled their hope. “Stay with us”, they pleaded. In the intimacy of the breaking of the bread, the disciples’ eyes were opened and they recognized the Risen One in their midst. How often do we turn to the Lord and plead, like the two on the road: “Stay with us!”
To God be the glory!
Solomzi