Today we continue to celebrate Easter. These Sundays
following Easter are special for we do not designate them as Sundays following
Easter but rather Sundays of Easter. Easter is our on-going message. There is
to these Sundays two very particular and important foci. The first, which we
give particular attention to on Easter Sunday, is the empty tomb. We focus on
God’s power over death, how Jesus dead body was taken down from the cross
and sealed in the tomb and how when the women go to the tomb the angel tells
them that Jesus has been raised. This is a spectacular announcement. Indeed
for the gospel of Mark it is enough, for that is where the gospel writer ends
his proclamation—with the empty tomb.
For the other Gospel writers however there is more. On the
second and following Sundays of Easter we draw particular attention to the second
focus. That second focus is the appearances of the risen Christ after the resurrection.
Jesus as the risen Christ appears to many kinds of people. We see Mary weeping
at the tomb and Jesus stands above her. Thinking he is the gardener she asks
him, “Where have they taken my Lord Jesus body?” He says, “Mary”
and in that moment, as Jesus calls her by name, Mary recognizes the risen Christ.
The disciples sit together, consoling one another behind locked doors for their
fear. Jesus appears among them. Thomas is not there, he does not believe. The
risen Christ returns to those gathered disciples with Thomas this time, to assure
them that he is with them and will be with them. Later Jesus will appear to
the disciples as he commissions them before ascending to the Father.
But today, today we have this most interesting appearance of
the risen Christ. An episode that is rich in detail and depth. It is Sunday,
two days after Jesus has been crucified and his body sealed in the tomb. It
is the day after the Jewish Sabbath. We can imagine that the twelve disciples
were frightened for fear of reprisal for their connection with the insurrectionist
and blasphemer Jesus. Then there were the other followers, the women and those
who were not part of the inner circle of twelve. Having been part of tragic
events we can imagine how they were reacting and feeling. At first they can’t
talk about it enough. Undoubtedly they had replayed and analyzed the details
of the past days up, down and sideways with whoever might have had a connection
to the events. What do you know, what do you think? Who was behind it all? What
will happen now? Finally, exhausted from the confusion and perhaps needing either
to get away or back to some semblance of life as normal two of them leave Jerusalem
for the town called Emmaus. As they are walking a stranger catches up with them.
“What is it you are discussing?’ the stranger inquires. How can this
stranger know so little of what has happened they wonder But eager to recount
what has happened to a new set of ears they share the whole story right down
to their very personal information about the women at the tomb. Jesus, whom
they have not recognized yet, is saddened that they do not understand. “How
foolish you are, how slow of heart to believe” he says. And so for one
more time he begins again to share with them the scriptures, beginning with
Moses and all the prophets.
Coming near to Emmaus, Jesus intends to go on but the two travelers
are stopping and invite the stranger to stay. As they sit together at their
evening meal Jesus takes the bread to bless it and in that moment they recognize
him as the risen Christ. Now the Risen Christ appears to many people in many
different situations but in this incident it seems very clear to me that we
are to understand that we will recognize Christ in The word and The sacraments,
indeed the very things we do at worship each week. The lesson from this passage
is translucent, as we gather to hear the scriptures read and explained and as
we gather to share the bread and cup that Jesus blesses today and each Sunday
we will recognize the Christ in our midst. How curious it is that Jesus is walking
with them but they don’t know it until he blesses the bread at their meal.
Could it be that Jesus is walking with us as well but our eyes are not opened
to see? The two walking along the road are getting on with their lives. They
are headed back to their home in Emmaus, perhaps their work is waiting for them,
urgently needing to be attended to, perhaps their families have been missing
them and require now their attention. Jesus is walking with them back to their
work, their families, their obligations, that is clear. But doesn’t it
also strike you that they never would have recognized him had they not invited
him to stop and share the meal?
Some religious communities suggest that the bread and cup that
we share are a remembrance only, a memorial of the supper Jesus shared with
the twelve on that fateful night before his death but I prefer to believe in
concert with our denomination that Jesus presence is real in this bread and
wine. I have come to affirm that in hearing the word and in tasting the bread
our eyes might be opened to see the Risen Christ in our midst for the risen
Christ is here.
Jesus’, approach to Cleopas and the other traveler on
that Sunday is the same as Jesus approach to us on this Sunday. We hear the
word, we come to the table and Jesus becomes apparent. Now perhaps you will
say I come to church but sometimes the lessons just go over my head and I get
lost in a sea of my own thoughts. I kneel at communion but the wafer is just
a wafer and I leave as unfulfilled as I came. And of course we have all been
there. But let me purpose this, Does that mean that Christ was not here? Perhaps
as Cleopas and his friend our eyes have not been opened. Had they not offered
their hospitality to this lone traveler perhaps they would never have known
that Christ was in their midst. Only by being at the table, only by encountering
the word can we open the opportunity to know that presence.
I am totally convinced that Christ’s presence is made
known to many in the breaking of bread. Herb comes with a burden of guilt. Unfaithfulness
has ruptured the relationship with his wife. Slowly but surely they are putting
it back together, two steps forward and one back on that long road to rebuilding
trust. Can he forgive himself, can it ever be over. The words---this cup for
the forgiveness of sin. And hope is born of despair.
Each time she kneels at the rail her eyes tear. She was used
to kneeling here with someone else. The pain of grief is real and intense. Yet
this is a banquet for all the saints of every time and every place so we never
kneel here alone. And the certainty that love is stronger than death is assured.
At one time he could kneel for communion but the knees just
don’t bend that way now. Not only that there are a dozen other ailments,
aches and pains that have taken over. What happened? What’s the use? What
am I good for? Isn’t it good to know that Jesus' party isn’t just
for the productive and successful—that this invitation list cherishes not
only the whole and the happy but also the fragmented and the fearful?
We’re all on this road to Emmaus. It is the road of real
life. Jesus comes to us on this road and sometimes through the word and the
breaking of bread our eyes will be opened to the Risen Christ among us.
Amen.