Sarah Patton shares her prayerful reflection of the Road to Emmaus passage:
Jesus walks with us just as he did with the followers on the road to Emmaus. Sometimes we don’t feel that Jesus is with us, just as the men did not recognize him. Even though Jesus took them through the Scriptures explaining all the things that concerned him, it was not until he took the bread and blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them that they recognized him. In the intimacy of a meal, something was imparted in the breaking of the bread opening their eyes to see him, recognize him, know he was with them. Pondering this mystery, a prayer arose.
Jesus,
Walk with me.
Stay with me.
Sometimes I do not recognize you in my midst, but stay with me.
Stay the night. Stay and eat with me.
There’s something in the breaking of the bread.
You were born in Bethlehem, – Bēṯ Leḥem בֵּית לֶחֶם – the House of Bread.
Bread that nourishes.
Bread that satisfies.
Bread that sustains.
Give me the bread of life with you.
Break bread with me each day that I may see you.
There’s something in the breaking of the bread.
Amen
Luke 24:13-35 NLT
That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. But God kept them from recognizing him.
He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”
They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”
“What things?” Jesus asked.
“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.
“Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.”
Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!
They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.”
Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread.
