On the road to emmaus

THIS week we reflect on the story of the disciples on the Emmaus Road.

The disciples in the story had been plunged into gloom, and the road for them was sad and lonely. Their dreams about Jesus being the long awaited Messiah had been reduced to rubble. As they went along they were talking about his death, looking at it from every possible angle, but still could make no sense of it.  A humiliated, crucified Messiah!  It was impossible; it was unthinkable.

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All of us have or will walk the Emmaus road. It is the road of disappointment, failure, pain, suffering, sickness, sorrow, grief, shattered dreams, loneliness, doubt, confusion, fear, and so on. Some people are more familiar with it than others,And although we may look at our situation from every possible angle, we often can make no sense of it.

But just like the disciples in our Gospel story, Jesus is walking the road beside us, guiding us, encouraging us, transforming our pain and disillusionment, but often our business, worry or grief blinds us from recognising his presence. The dark side of our story can overwhelm us and prevent us from recognising God’s grace and love that surrounds us.

25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”
(On the road to Emmaus: Luke 24:13-35 NIV)

But it is in this darkness that our story merges with Christ and it is the hope of his resurrection story that makes sense of our journey. Even if we do not recognise Christ’s presence with us it does not make his presence any less real, and it is by clinging to that truth that we can begin to allow the transforming love and grace of God into our own personal situations.

This does not mean that our problems will be solved over night or even all our questions answered, but what it does mean is we will be able to see the way forward and our road of sadness and loneliness will become a road of life and hope.
The Lord be with you.

With Blessings
Rev. Jenny