Lenten Reflections - Road to Emmaus 

This is the final reflection in our series, run on a Wednesday for the five weeks of Lent. 

Let’s go on a little journey.  

You're on a walk. Destination: a village several miles away called Emmaus. It's a hot day; the sun is beating down and you can feel the sand between your toes, as you head out of Jerusalem with your friend. Out of the chaos and away from the trauma of the last few days.  

The noise of Jerusalem starts to dim and quieten. The air feels clearer and at last you have the chance to breathe and try to process the brutal crucifixion of your best friend three days earlier. 

Not far into the journey, a man joins you along the road and starts a conversation with you. You get the feeling in the back of your mind that perhaps you've met him before... 

For now, you dismiss it. Your mind drifts back to Friday's crucifixion. The man enquires as to why you seem so sad. I mean really? Where has this man been? You take breath and compose yourself. 

"Have you not heard what has been happening in recent days? How our master and friend was tortured?” You trail off. A single tear drop ambles down your cheek. You take a deep breath and carry on. 

"Jesus of Nazareth was then crucified by the Roman soldiers!” 

With an outstretched arm, your friend offers you a shoulder to lean on. 

"He was a prophet and friend, and the things we witnessed him do! Healing the sick, curing the blind, and as for what he did with some jugs of water at a wedding a while back. But it all ended on Friday. We hoped he had been the one, the Messiah! But now is the third day since all this happened and someone has taken his body!" 

So many emotions are bubbling away inside you. Your friend invites you to rest a moment by the side of the road. 

"Yes, some of the women went to the tomb early this morning. The big boulder that secured the tomb has been rolled away, and angels were there who told the women that Jesus was alive!" 

The man rebukes you, saying how slow of heart you are, for the prophets had in fact written what was to come. You are a bit taken aback by this, but the man is very well read and helps explain things. You wander along and as the man continues, you think every so often... Jesus used to say that, and in these split seconds you are at peace. 

By now some of the heat has gone from the sun and light is starting to fade. Yet still, your feet burn and prickle on the long walk. But at last Emmaus is in sight. The man seems as though he is prepared to walk on, but no, you're not comfortable with that. Both you and your friend look at each other. W.W.J.D? What would Jesus do? So, you stop the man and invite him to stay with you, eat, rest. The man agrees and enters the house with you. You prepare the table while your friend puts together a light supper in the kitchen. He brings it through, and you all sit down. 

The man breaks bread before you and your eyes see things in a new light. "Oh my days!! It's Jesus!" No sooner have you said that, and He vanishes. You look to your friend in complete shock. "Did you just see that? Jesus was with us, He is alive!" Your emotions flip over to opposite hemispheres. 

 That grief and exhaustion you felt has now changed to euphoria and excitement. Your best friend has just pulled off the biggest miracle of all time! He endured the absolute agony of the cross, to save us from our sins. And now God has raised Him up for all eternity. Of course you can't sit still now. You must tell the others without delay. So now the return journey is filled with pure joy, laughter, singing and praising God. The only tears now are happy ones. 

You run and skip your way back to Jerusalem. Lungs on fire and completely out of breath, you burst in to where the others are huddled together. "Guys, guys!! You'll never guess what just happened to us!" 

Of course, much more happened in those days, my prayer for you is that you channel that excitement, joy and love for your best friend Jesus. I pray that you always recognise Jesus in whatever you do. He is always with you. God bless and Amen. 
 

Questions to provoke thought and conversation. 

• At the start of the journey what feelings would these men have had? How can you relate? 
• If we had Jesus here to explain things to us - what questions would we ask him? 
• Do we experience the excitement of the men to share their story of Jesus? Why or why not?