Now that very day two of them 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 Messiah 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.
On the day of the Resurrection, two disciples walked away from Jerusalem toward Emmaus, carrying with them the weight of shattered expectations. Their words were filled with sorrow and confusion: “We were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21). Like many of us who suffer disillusionment, they struggled to reconcile what had happened with what they had hoped for. The Risen Lord, whom they do not yet recognize, joins them on the road, and through Scripture and the breaking of bread, He reawakens their faith.
The narrative unfolds in two profound movements: first, the meaning of God's plan is unveiled through the Scriptures; then, Jesus is made known in the shared meal. This gradual unveiling reveals something timeless—God often meets us not in dramatic flashes, but through a patient journey of listening, reflecting, and finally recognizing. Many believers throughout history have come to know Christ in just this way: hearing the Word of God and then experiencing His presence in moments of intimate fellowship.
The disciples’ spiritual blindness is lifted not through argument or proof but through presence and encounter. The turning point comes not in explanation alone, but in communion with Him: “he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread” (Luke 24:35). This language recalls other Gospel moments of blessing and sharing, like the Last Supper (Luke 22:19) and the feeding of the multitude (Luke 9:16), where acts of giving become windows into the divine. Recognition of Jesus often comes not through knowledge alone, but through relationship.
Their hearts, once slow to believe, now burn within them (Luke 24:32). In this detail we hear the stirring of spiritual awakening, echoing the prophet Jeremiah’s own experience: “It is as if fire is burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones; I grow weary holding it in” (Jer. 20:9). When God’s Word takes root, it ignites a passion that cannot remain silent. And this transformation compels action. Having encountered Christ, the disciples immediately return to Jerusalem, reversing their earlier direction and rejoining the community. True faith never leaves us standing still—it sends us forth to bear witness, to reconnect, to share what we’ve received.
This passage invites each of us to reflect on our own journey. At times, we too may feel like we are walking away from Jerusalem—away from what once gave us hope. Yet even there, Jesus walks beside us. He listens to our questions, gently reminds us of God’s promises, and patiently reveals His presence. In Scripture, in community, and in quiet moments of shared life, He continues to make Himself known.
Lord Jesus, in times of confusion or sorrow, walk beside us. Open our minds to the truth of Your Word and our hearts to Your presence. As You did with the disciples on the road, rekindle in us the joy of knowing You. And having met You anew, may we go forth to share that joy with others. Amen!
Sources
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: The Pentateuch. Four Courts Press, 2017
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
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