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| Jesus on the road to Emmaus. |
In today's reading for Mass, Jesus seemingly plays dumb when he appears to the two disciples who were walking from Jerusalem to the village of Emmaus, 'about seven miles' away. Though he walks with them, his own disciples do not recognise him. Luke 24: 13-35.
Feeling left out from the conversation he says, 'What are you speaking about?' Sunk in their own sadness, one of them named Cleopas assumes he is a visitor / 'tourist' to Jerusalem.
He chides Jesus for his lack of being aware of things which are so momentous. Enveloped by their pride they do not see that it is the risen Lord who is talking to them.
Jesus is patient. He does not feel rebuffed at the disciples ditching him, as they did at Gethsemane. He persists in playing the ignorant part. 'What things?' he asks simply.
The disciples proceed to tell Jesus his own story. They even share how disappointed they are in him because, it was three days since he was crucified and they expected hm to redeem Israel.
They are also peeved that the angel appeared to the women, saying Jesus had risen, and not to them. It perhaps hurt their ego.
Since it is evening the disciples ask Jesus to stay. Even then they think he is just a fellow traveller.
It is only when he eats with them, breaks bread, and gives it to them, that they come to know he is Jesus. By then he disappears.
The disciples rush back to Jerusalem. There they find the eleven disciples who tell them, 'The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!'
Sometimes when Jesus is actually walking beside us, on our streets, in our workplace, we do not recognise him. In the weary, the over-burdened, and the saddened we can reach out to offer comfort. We need not be hesitant to ask if things are not clear - if only to understand where our motives lie. One needs to be humble to realise that often we do not have all the answers - though like Cleopas we act as though we do.
In this time of Easter, the Emmaus experience can lead us from ignorance to faith.
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