Shattered hopes now restored

All of this Sunday’s readings focus on the relationship between the Old Testament and the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Peter’s speech in Acts interprets Psalm 16 from these Scriptures as evidence that even David, to whom these verses are attributed, anticipated the coming of the Holy One, namely Christ. In the second reading, Peter’s letter references Christ as the “spotless unblemished lamb,” which in the Old Testament texts (Ex 12:5 and Lv 22:20-22) is the requirement for acceptable sacrifice and who is prophesied as the “sacrificed lamb” in the fourth Servant Song of Isaiah (Is 52:13-53:12). Finally, in Luke’s Gospel, we hear Jesus himself interpreting all the Old Testament Scriptures about himself to two disciples walking on a road.

In the Gospel account, Cleopas and his companion are journeying to Emmaus when they encounter Jesus. They fail to recognize him, however, assuming he is a stranger. This stunning and vivid account narrates how both these disciples and ourselves have an opportunity to see who Jesus is and how we can know him. In the process of their conversation with this stranger, they acknowledge their hopes that Jesus was the mighty prophet who would rescue and redeem Israel. But because he was sentenced to death and crucified, their hopes have been shattered.  

Jesus, however, who remains forever patient and available to his disciples and to us in our attempts to understand him, begins revealing himself by interpreting Old Testament texts. In particular, he reminds the disciples that, as the prophets foretold, it was necessary that “the Messiah should suffer these things and enter into his glory” (Lk 24: 26). Finally, when the three arrive at Emmaus, the disciples urge this stranger to stay on with them. As they gathered for an evening meal, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it to them. Though they previously had not recognized this stranger as Jesus, immediately their “eyes were opened” (24:31). They encountered Jesus in their midst. After they recognized him, Jesus vanished from their sight. Immediately, Cleopas and the other disciple returned to Jerusalem to relate these events to the other eleven.  

The recounting of Jesus “blessing the bread,” “breaking it,” and “giving it” to others occurs three times in Luke’s Gospel. The first is at the feeding of the five thousand (9:16). The second is at the last Supper (22:19). The last is in this account, the meal with Cleopas and the other disciple. This Gospel writer emphasizes this early manifestation of the Eucharist as one of the central ways we are invited to encounter Christ. In addition, like these disciples, we can also know Jesus through our study of the Scriptures. Finally, we can encounter him in one another, even one who might be a stranger as this Gospel suggests. Further, when these three occasions — the Eucharist, the breaking open of the Scriptures and the encounter with one another in the worshipping community — come together at liturgy, we have a profound opportunity to encounter Jesus present among us.  

When Cleopas and the other disciple realized they had encountered the risen Lord, they sought to give words to what they had just experienced. “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” (24:32). Jesus opened their eyes to recognize him; he opened the Scriptures so they could better understand him; and he opened their hearts in such a way that their once shattered hope was now rekindled. He does the same for us. Whenever we strive to know him, Jesus is already seeking us, opening our eyes, advancing our understanding of the Scriptures, and opening our hearts so we may know and love him, enkindling our desire to be like him.