I have always had a strange affinity to this text. There is something about it – that seemingly draws you in to it.
It is comforting. It is reassuring.
It takes place on Easter Sunday…the day of the resurrection. It is so common and so ordinary. ….Two guys walking down the road, perhaps toward nightfall. Walking and talking…things do not get “much more pedestrian than that!”
You can sense that they are exhausted with grief and disappointment…and at the same time you can hear of their – tired irritation. They are obviously upset.
The story also includes a little bit of what is known as “Middle Eastern hospitality” in it.
The word for “companion” – as in a “companion on the road”…comes from a root word, meaning “bread sharer.”
That’s what a companion is – someone with whom you would “share your bread.”
And we know now that the word Emmaus means “warm springs.” It was a village known for its warm underground springs, which provided rest and relaxation to weary visitors.
We know today that the city of Emmaus or the Village of Emmaus lies about 7 miles from Jerusalem.
It is only about an hour and forty-five minutes away…on foot.
Which would be …more than enough time… to get into a “testy discussion” with someone who seemed to be rather “obtuse…and unknowing…about something…
Walking and talking…Talking and walking…
Exhausted and lost in grief and in their mourning – their very world being shattered…and ripped apart and torn asunder and toppled over this very weekend. They were more than forlorn. We know that any kind of loss can be distracting for us…
So consumed were they – by the events…that they could barely believe …that this “stranger” did not have any clue – whatsoever – about the events that had only recently occurred there….
What was he doing living under some kind of a rock? How could anybody not know? It was the topic of every conversation…or at least, so it seemed.
They were oblivious to “the stranger – their companion” on the road…he was for all intents and purposes…just sort-of-there…traveling with them…or alongside of them…
…just another traveler to Emmaus or perhaps beyond…
This is such a metaphor for the Christian life, and for the early Christian Church, as well … for we are all on our journeys’ – is it any wonder the early church was called “the way?”
It is a communal journey, and like it or not, we journey together. Our paths have crossed. We are here for a reason…or for a season, but when we first walked through these doors – the journey was begun…We are travelers together…
And they didn’t recognize Jesus and we wonder why? …This wasn’t at all like rocket science…beard, long hair, dark colored eyes, nail holes…You get the point I am making here…
It is easy for us to forget – and to not remember that – these two were not bona fide part of the original twelve disciples…that we know so well.
These were “followers” of Jesus.
Some followers followed him closely…
Some followers followed from what they considered to be from safe distances…
Presumably some had met him at least once…or heard him…or saw him from afar…maybe they just witnessed a healing or a miraculous sign…or were present at the feeding…They could have been two of hundreds or even of thousands of followers “at any one time.” These were “followers…”
Not everyone would have been on a first name basis. Not each and every one of them would have their own private relationship with Jesus.
For me, the beauty of this passage is – these “two followers” could have been any of us. Followers…on the road…Christians on the journey… This is not a story about Jesus and Mary Magdalene or his mother or any of the twelve…
This could be a story about any follower of his…it could be you…it could be me…
This passage more so than a lot of them bring the resurrection home for me… It is not where Jesus mixed it up with the women or the disciples…
It is where he met two of his followers, perhaps, two of us…and we are included…and he walks with us and he talks with us…the Risen Jesus. OMG!