Luke 24: 13-35

That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem. In the middle of their talk and questions, Jesus came up and walked along with them. But they were not able to recognize who he was. He asked, “What’s this you’re discussing so intently as you walk along?”

They just stood there, long-faced, like they had lost their best friend. Then one of them, his name was Cleopas, said, “Are you the only one in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard what’s happened during the last few days?”

He said, “What has happened?” They said, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene. He was a man of God, a prophet, dynamic in work and word, blessed by both God and all the people. Then our high priests and leaders betrayed him, got him sentenced to death, and crucified him. But now some of our women have completely confused us. Early this morning they were at the tomb and couldn’t find his body. They came back with the story that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. Some of our friends went off to the tomb to check and found it empty just as the women said, but they didn’t see Jesus.”

Then he said to them, “So thick-headed! So slow-hearted! Why can’t you simply believe all that the prophets said? Don’t you see that these things had to happen, that the Messiah had to suffer and only then enter into his glory?” Then he started at the beginning, with the Books of Moses, and went on through all the Prophets, pointing out everything in the Scriptures that referred to him.

They came to the edge of the village where they were headed. He acted as if he were going on but they pressed him: “Stay and have supper with us. It’s nearly evening; the day is done.” So he went in with them. He sat down at the table with them. Taking the bread, he blessed and broke and gave it to them. At that moment, open-eyed, wide-eyed, they recognized him. And then he disappeared. Back and forth they talked. “Didn’t we feel on fire as he conversed with us on the road, as he opened up the Scriptures for us?”

They didn’t waste a minute. They were up and on their way back to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and their friends gathered together, talking away: “It’s really happened! The Master has been raised up – Simon saw him!” Then the two went over everything that happened on the road and how they recognized him when he broke the bread.

Gospel Reflection

The reading this morning is one that can truly help us with our prayer life. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus were clearly discouraged, saddened and downcast. We can all find ourselves in that place from time to time… in the shadow of the cross. What Jesus does in our Gospel reading is simply to ask his unsuspecting disciples why they were feeling sad. He just invited them to share what was on their mind, to tell him what was in their hearts. That is exactly what Jesus asks us each time we come to him in prayer: to share what is in our hearts, the joys, the pains.

And once the disciples shared what was in their hearts, the Gospel reading tells us that then it was Jesus’ turn to speak. Again the same goes with us. Once we have shared what is on our mind, it is then time to listen to Our Lord. There comes a time in our prayer when, having opened our hearts to the Lord, we simply need to sit back and listen to his word to us.