TUESDAY 4.11.23: Puzzled Eyes Opened – Luke 24:25-32
On the road to Emmaus, Jesus interpreted for his dispirited followers “the things written about himself in all the scriptures, starting with Moses and going through all the Prophets” (verse 27). As he broke and blessed bread for them, they recognized him in a flash of insight and memory. His transformed body disappeared, but they joyfully realized that their hearts were “on fire” as Jesus explained the deep message of the Hebrew Scriptures.
Reflection
• Scholar William Barclay said this story “tells us of the ability of Jesus to make sense of things . . . Jesus came and talked with them, and the meaning of life became clear, and the darkness became light . . . It is only in Jesus that, even in the bewildering times, we learn what life means.”1 Can you recall any moments when something painful and puzzling suddenly made more sense in the light of Jesus’ love and grace?
• The two disciples may well have been husband and wife (cf. John 19:25; “Clopas” and “Cleopas” were likely the same person). They urged their road companion to stay with them, as a married couple would. If they hadn’t, they’d have missed the joy of recognizing the risen Jesus. How do you, individually and as a family, go about inviting Jesus into your life? How have you learned to recognize his presence amid everyday life’s pressures?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I want you, I need you, to be with me at home and everywhere I go. Like those early disciples, I invite you to join me and stay with me at every meal, and every moment. Amen.
1William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke (Revised Edition). Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1975, p. 295.