And they said to one another,
"Did not our heart burn
within us while He talked
with us on the road,
and while He opened
the Scriptures to us?"
(Luke 24:32)
Jesus is always with us. We all face times when we are disappointed with God, especially when our expectations do not match His sovereign purpose. However, God can turn our disappointment into hope if we seek the risen Savior through faith in His Word.
Our faith should always be growing, and that we should always be open to encountering Christ in unexpected ways. We should never be afraid to share our faith with others, and to be a source of encouragement and support on their own journeys of faith.
In times of disappointment, when our hearts are heavy-laden,
When our expectations of God seem to be forsaken.
Yet in these moments, a truth we can uphold,
God turns our disappointment into hope, a sight to behold.
Seek the risen Savior, through faith in His Word,
His promises are true, the most beautiful ever heard.
Jesus, our companion, always by our side,
In His presence, we find a love that can't be denied.
Our faith, like a seed, should always be growing,
In the garden of our hearts, His love ever flowing.
Open to encountering Christ in ways unexpected,
In the tapestry of life, His grace is reflected.
Never be afraid to share your faith, let it shine,
Like a beacon in the night, a divine design.
Be a source of encouragement, a support so strong,
On their own journeys of faith, help others belong.
Dear Lord Jesus,
We acknowledge that there are times when we feel disappointed with You, especially when our expectations do not align with Your sovereign purpose. However, we believe that You can turn our disappointment into hope if we seek You, our risen Savior, through faith in Your Word.
We are grateful that You are always with us, guiding us, comforting us, and strengthening us. We pray that our faith will continue to grow each day, and that we will always be open to encountering You in unexpected ways.
Give us the courage to share our faith with others, to be a beacon of Your love in this world. Help us to be a source of encouragement and support for others on their own journeys of faith.
In Your holy name, we pray. Amen.
Background:
Luke 24:13-35, also known as “The Walk to Emmaus,” is a unique story found only in the Gospel of Luke. It takes place on Easter Sunday, right after the Easter narrative in Luke 24:1-12.
The story begins with two disciples of Jesus, one named Cleopas and the other unnamed, walking to a village called Emmaus, which was near the city of first-century Jerusalem. As they discuss the recent events of Jesus’ crucifixion and the reports of His resurrection, Jesus Himself joins them on their journey, but they do not recognize Him.
These two disciples were not part of the original circle of the Twelve, as the story ends with them going to report to “the eleven” what had happened1. However, they were part of a “group” of disciples to which the women who had gone to the tomb also belonged.
During their journey, Jesus interprets “Moses and all the prophets” concerning Himself, but the disciples still do not recognize Him. It is only when they reach Emmaus and sit down to eat, and Jesus “took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them” that their eyes are opened, and they recognize Him. This action of breaking bread is almost identical to Jesus’ actions at the Last Supper.
This story emphasizes the importance of the resurrection and the breaking of bread, a symbol of the Eucharist, in recognizing Jesus. It also shows how Jesus’ teachings can open our understanding of the Scriptures.
Learning Lessons:
Luke 24:13-35, the story of the walk to Emmaus, offers several important lessons:
Disappointment and Hope: We all face times when we are disappointed with God, especially when our expectations do not match His sovereign purpose1. However, God can turn our disappointment into hope if we seek the risen Savior through faith in His Word.
Faith, Hope, and Love: The disciples were sad and confused, but they were still faithful. They continued to talk about Jesus, even though they did not understand what had happened to him. They also had hope, because they believed that Jesus would rise again. And they loved Jesus, even though they did not see him. These three things – faith, hope, and love – are essential for Christians.
Encountering Christ in Unexpected Ways: Luke 24:13-35 is a powerful reminder that our faith should always be growing, and that we should always be open to encountering Christ in unexpected ways. We should never be afraid to share our faith with others, and to be a source of encouragement and support on their own journeys of faith.
Jesus is Always With Us: The story of the Road to Emmaus is a reminder that Jesus is risen, and that he is always with us.
These lessons remind us of the importance of faith, hope, love, and the presence of Jesus in our lives.
Pericope:
VIII: The Resurrection Narrative
THE APPEARANCE ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS
Luke 24:13-35
Gospel Acclamation
This is the day the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.
Gospel | Luke 24:13-35
13 That very day, the first day of the week, two of Jesus’s disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, 14 and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. 15 And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, 16 but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” They stopped, looking downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?” 19 And he replied to them, “What sort of things?” They said to him, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. 21 But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. 22 Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning 23 and did not find his Body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. 24 Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see.” 25 And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures. 28 As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. 29 But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. 31 With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. 32 Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the Eleven and those with them 34 who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Reflection Source:
Conversation with Copilot
