Cortez: The Road to Emmaus

ALTHOUGH the gospel story often entitled, “The Road to Emmaus,” (Luke 24:13-35) was an actual physical walk of two disciples with the Risen Christ, it can also be likened to our lifetime spiritual journey with the Lord.

Like the two disciples we, too, know Jesus. Sometimes, however, our head-knowledge of him is not enough to remove the blinders that hinder us from truly seeing him. It takes the grace of God to reveal himself to us in the Scriptures and in the breaking of the bread before we can come to see him for who he really is.

The two disciples in the story enjoyed the privilege of being taught by the Master Teacher himself. Jesus pointed out to them that Moses, the prophets, and the entire Old Testament talked about him. Which Bible verses he actually cited; we do not know we can only guess.

What we know is that by reading the Old Testament, we see a lot of foreshadows and glimpses of Jesus. In Genesis, he was the “seed of the woman” and the promised Redeemer of the fallen world. In Exodus he was the Passover Lamb; in Leviticus, our great high priest; in Numbers, the pillar of cloud that covered the tabernacle, and in Deuteronomy, the prophet in the likes of Moses. In Joshua he was the commander of the Lord’s army. In Judges he was the righteous judge; in Ruth, our kinsman-Redeemer; in 1st and 2nd Samuel, our trustworthy prophet; in first and second Kings, the great king, even greater than Solomon; and in Ezra, the rebuilder of broken walls and proclaimer of freedom.

We can go on and on. We can highlight, for example, that he was personified as the Good Shepherd in Psalms, the Wisdom in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, and the faithful and merciful groom in the Song of Solomon and in Hosea. He was the suffering servant and the Prince of Peace in Isaiah, the righteous branch in Jeremiah, the four-faced man in Ezekiel, the fourth man in the fiery furnace in Daniel, the Holy Spirit baptizer in Joel, the deliverer in Amos, the Messiah pierced for us in Zechariah, and the Sun of Righteousness who brings healing in Malachi. The list is far from complete. And in the New Testament, we see that the Word became flesh and lived among us – preaching, healing, casting out demons, building the kingdom of God, and doing everything good.

Today, Jesus through the Holy Spirit, is still very much involved in teaching us. Thus, everytime we read the Bible or hear the word of God preached, let us pray for the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit that we may truly understand his words and be illumined by his truth. May his words sink in to our hearts, that they may spark “faith that expresses itself in love” (Galatians 5:6).

Like the travelers to Emmaus may we also recognize Jesus in the breaking of the bread – the Savior whose body was broken that we may be made whole, in communion with God and with each other. And when nourished by the Scriptural Word and the Living Word who is Jesus himself, may we also be like these travelers who set out to share the good news to others.

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