We read this morning the story of a couple of Jesus’ friends
who were walking back to their village, Emmaus, on the Sunday evening after
Jesus was crucified. Dejected and grieving, they trudged along, sharing their
sorrow and speculating as to what had happened to Jesus’ body.
Had it been stolen by the Jewish priests? Taken away by the
Romans? Or, as the women insisted, had Jesus really risen from the dead?
Suddenly they were aware that someone else was walking with
them, someone who feigned ignorance of these events. He asked them what they
were talking about and they were shocked he hadn’t heard. Obviously this
situation was the talk of Jerusalem. Where had this guy been, they wondered,
not to have heard about it?
With a short word of frustration at their ignorance of
Scripture, this traveller then began to cite prophecies from what we call the
Old Testament which foretold all these events and linked them to the coming and
person of the Messiah. The two disciples listened, and invited him in to share
supper and stay the night as it was dark.
When he broke the bread, Jesus’ identity was recognised and
then he disappeared.
How aware am I of Jesus’ companionship on my journey day by
day? I may not be going very far, may not be doing anything very significant,
but Jesus is with me. His promise is that he will never leave us so he walks
alongside, listening to our conversations, banal and silly or deep and
profound. Do we recognise his voice as he suggests things to us? Do we respond
to those suggestions? Do our hearts burn inside us as the disciples’ realized
theirs had?
I have been doing housework and have a small hill of ironing
awaiting my attention later on. The sun is out and the seedlings from the
garden centre are root-bound and begging to be released into the soil. I also have a couple of pieces of writing to
try to finish today.
It is the writing where I really crave divine inspiration,
but maybe I need to train my ear for that gentle whisper while I tackle the
sheets (ugh!) and plant out the pansies.
He walks with me today, and he walks with you. Are you aware
of his presence?
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