Luke 24:13-35
Now on that same day, the first day of the week, two of the disciples 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.
Reflection
Notice the sequence of events.
It all starts with community. A small community but a community nonetheless. Jesus is present in the act of communio. "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." (Mt. 18:20), The relevatory work of God always begins and ends in the company of others.
Second, the risen Christ instructs directly from the scriptures. St. Jerome's ancient dictum that "Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ" seems to be borne out here. Jesus, rather than explicating from his own words draws these travelers' attention to the ancient Hebrew bible as the most fitting way to learn about him. Once the word is proclaimed by The Word, he moves to the Church's most ancient tradition: communion. During a recent road trip, I had the opportunity to listen on CD to Dr. John Baldovin's History of the Mass 12 lecture series (Now You Know Media, highly recommended). He points out that from the earliest days of then Church the same formula was used, and is used to the present day: take, bless, break and eat. It's is in the breaking of the bread that their eyes were opened and prepared then to go.
Thirdly, we read that "That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together." Again, they are driven from the experience of encountering Jesus to community; to be with others who have experienced his presence and to share their own faith experience.
All of this happens in the liturgy. Liturgy is thus not meant to be a reflection of man back to himself, but rather an education in and through the mysteries and sacraments which take place. Joseph Ratzinger notes, “I discover that something is approaching me here that I did not produce myself, that I am entering into something greater than myself, which ultimately derives from divine revelation.” In listening to and contemplatively participating in the liturgy, one discovers depths of meaning of which one is not immediately aware.
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