The Road to Emmaus

Road to Emmaus, Jon McNaughton

A Familiar Reading
Today's Gospel reading from Luke 24:13- 35 portrays the encounter between two disciples and Jesus as they walked on the road to Emmaus. This is one of those Easter time readings that we are all so familiar with that we make take its meaning for granted.

Liturgy of the Word
If we reflect on the passage carefully, we will discover that the story is more than two sad disciples encountering the resurrected Christ. It is also depicts imagery of the Holy Mass. Jesus, still not revealed to them, chastises the disciples for being discouraged: "O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!" (Luke 24:26, Navarre Bible). He then gives a recollection on salvation history by "beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself." (Luke 24:27, Navarre Bible).  In other words, he breaks open the Liturgy of the Word, which makes up the first part of the Mass.

Liturgy of the Eucharist
After concluding His homily, Christ then stays with the two disciples, whose hearts are now burning. "When He was at table with them, He took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized Him" (Luke 24: 29-31, Navarre Bible). This is clearly a depiction of the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

Participation in the Mass
In 2008 while praying the Regina Coeli, Pope Benedict XVI encouraged us to encounter Christ in the Word and in the Eucharist through our participation in Mass:

Today too we can enter into dialogue with Jesus, listening to His Word. Today too He breaks the bread for us and gives Himself as our bread. And thus the encounter with the risen Christ, which is also possible today, gives us a more profound and authentic faith, tempered so to say by the fire of the events of Easter. A robust faith because it is nourished not by human ideas by the Word of God and His real presence in the Eucharist.

Eucharistic-Gospel Lives
St. Josemaria saw in this Gospel reading a demonstration that we are all on the road to Emmaus. When we partake of Our Lord in the Mass, we are sent out to proclaim the Gospel with our lives.

And Jesus stays. Our eyes are opened, as were those of Cleopas and his companion, when Christ breaks the bread; and, though He vanishes once more from sight, we too will find strength to start out once more -- though night is falling -- to tell the others about Him, because so much joy cannot be kept in one heart alone. The road to Emmaus--our God has filled this name with sweetness. Now the entire world has become an Emmaus, for the Lord has opened up all the divine paths of the earth (St. J. Escriva, Friends of God, 313f).