The two disciples walking on the road to Emmaus were totally at a loss to explain why Jesus had been crucified three days before. They felt that this was the tragic end to all that Jesus had taught them. Had they really lost Him forever? They were very much discouraged and saddened. And then they meet another traveler on the road to Emmaus and they talk about what happened in the last few days, the crucifixion and everything.
The two disciples did not recognize that it was Jesus walking alongside them. Why would they not have known it was Him? We ourselves are no better at recognizing many events in our own lives. Whenever I buy a new car, I am surprised to see so many other people driving the exact same model and color as mine. Those cars were there before but I was just not aware of it. I was reading about this famous violinist who one day took his violin down in the subway station and played very beautiful music for about an hour. Only six people out of hundreds who heard him play left a donation in his open violin case. He made a total of about 35 dollars. Yet this same person who when he played at concerts, people paid over 100 dollars just to hear his beautiful music. No one expected him to be playing music down in a subway station.
In the same way Jesus shows up in places where we least expect Him to be. He could be in someone who is very sad and in need of comforting, or someone who is suffering and needs our help. Or He will show up in times when you yourself are sad or troubled and in need of comforting, as He did with the disciples on the way to Emmaus. Jesus is so often standing right alongside us and we do not realize it.
How many times have you read a passage in the Bible and it didn’t really sink in, and then at a later time you read the same passage again and you have an “AH-HA” moment as Oprah Winfrey would say. How many times have you looked upon God’s creation and casually observed the beauty of it and then seen it again later in a different frame of mind and observed how incredibly beautiful and serene it was and how amazingly at peace you were at that moment? The Holy Spirit comes down to you in those moments when your whole being is searching and hungry for a message from Almighty God.
After Jesus died on the cross, in order to atone for our sins, He appeared to the apostles to make them realize He was very much alive and well, but they would no longer be able to physically see Him. Jesus is with us every day and is present in the words of our Holy Bibles and in the Holy Spirit. Although I do not see Jesus physically I know that He is near me. In times when I am sad and depressed, I search the Bible for Truth and pray to the Holy Spirit to return me to a feeling of joy and strength and a firm belief that Jesus loves and cares for me. He is gone to prepare a place for us in Heaven. Thanks be to God!
Lloyd Lapierre
