Today’s Gospel recounts a journey. The journey itself is from Jerusalem to a little town called Emmaus. Emmaus, we are told, was about 7 miles from Jerusalem.
Besides Jesus, the main characters are one named Cleopas and his companion. Some believe that the companion was probably his wife since they invited Jesus into their home later that evening. It also appears that Cleopas and his companion were disciples of Jesus who were in Jerusalem during the time when Jesus was crucified. We know this because when Jesus appears to them, they tell him, without recognizing him, that they thought this Jesus would be the Messiah but things had turned out terribly. As a result of this seeming failure of Jesus, these two are leaving Jerusalem and returning to their home.
We’re familiar with the rest of the story: how Jesus walks along with them unrecognizable since he is Risen from the dead. He answers their questions and interprets the Scriptures for them. Then, they invite him to dine in their home. When he takes bread, blesses it and breaks it, their eyes are opened and they realize it is Jesus. Then he disappears from their sight. So, what do they do? They head back to Jerusalem where they see the other Apostles and tell them they have seen Jesus. This is a post-Resurrection story— one of a handful of stories where people see Jesus after he has Risen from the dead.
But lets look at Emmaus again. We don’t know anything about Emmaus— where it might have been located and who lived there and what it was like. There is no archaeological evidence to suggest that it ever existed. If it was a little village it would easily have slipped from the eyes of history over the many centuries since the time of Jesus. But that’s not really important. What is important is what Emmaus represents for us. And what it means for us can be found in what it meant for Cleopas and his companion.
One writer speculates that Emmaus is that place where we go when hope is lost; when faith seems to fail us or when we need to escape from a painful world. It is a place of refuge where we can feel secure when everything else lets us down. It’s a hideout for us when we need to run away from it all.
For Cleopas and his companion, Emmaus was that place. Their hopes in Jesus had been dashed; they were confused and fearful. So, they leave Jerusalem— that place of pain and death— and head home to where their life can go on without the pain, perhaps. Don’t we do the same thing as Cleopas and his companion? Don’t we retreat when we need to retreat?
For some people, Emmaus is a cabin in the mountains, a time share by the ocean where we can escape from the burdens of life and work. For others, Emmaus can be a trip to the mall, a movie, or a full quart of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream in front of the TV which provide distractions from a hectic world. Some people find their Emmaus in hobbies like painting, music, or reading a good book. Emmaus might be a prayer corner in our bedroom or special retreat house. Emmaus can also be a less-than-healthy place. It can be too many martinis or a handful of pills which allow us to escape back into amnesia. Emmaus might be too much food or hiding in our room surfing the internet. Emmaus might be withdrawing into ourselves where we don’t communicate with others and isolating ourselves from family and friends. Regardless of what your particular Emmaus is, it is often times that place where we run when we are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, sad or unhappy with ourselves. Everyone has an Emmaus. What, or where, is your Emmaus?
But if Emmaus is where we go when we are tired or fearful, the resurrection story is about how we get back from Emmaus. Jesus did not join Cleopas and his companion on their trip to Emmaus in order to see them home. On the contrary, it was Jesus’ desire that they turn right back around and return to Jerusalem— that place where their hopes seemed to be ending. He did not allow them sit in their despair or to escape their fears, but to rescue them from their despair and fear. By listening to them, encouraging them and revealing himself to them, he allowed them to recognize him. And once they recognized that their Lord was alive, they were no longer fearful or wearied or hopeless. And I bet that, on their return to Jerusalem they probably moved at a quicker pace and there was probably a bounce in their step.
When we are on the road to our Emmaus, in the midst of being tired and worn out by life, we need to remember that that is where we will often encounter the Risen Lord. He is there when we are ready to bail out of our troubles and when we think we are escaping. He is present as we run for cover and he is speaking to us words of encouragement and hope when we are trying to block everything else out. We need to remember that where there is a need for escape, there is also the Lord who seeks to bring us back to reality by telling us that he is there with us as well. The Risen Jesus is not simply to be found in our private Emmaus getaways but he is there in the midst of all our struggles, burdens, and fears. He is there ready to fill us with everything we need in order to put up with the world and life with all its mess and darkness. Because where there is mess and darkness, there is also new life and resurrection waiting to be discovered. That’s the Easter story. The cross reveals the Resurrection.
Perhaps during this continuing season of Easter, we might pause to think about our Emmaus journey. Are you stuck in Emmaus? If so, keep your eyes and ears and hearts open. The Risen Lord is closer than you think.