One of the most enduring themes and images in literature and art, is the theme of the Journey. It appears from ancient times, in the Bible and Homer, right up to the best-selling films and novels of today. It features in the work of poets like Dante and Eliot, spiritual writings like John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, thrillers like those of John Buchan, fantasies like Tolkien's. All of us are drawn to the idea of the Journey, because it expresses so many potent truths about human life.
Perhaps this explains why one of the most popular of the Gospel events that followed Jesus' Resurrection, is the story of the disciples on the Emmaus Road. On the first Easter Day, two of Jesus' friends were walking the seven miles from Jerusalem to their home in the village of Emmaus. They were talking together about all the astonishing things that had happened in recent days. Jesus, who they had hoped would be the Redeemer of Israel, had been betrayed by their own religious leaders, and crucified. But three days after his death, some of the women went to the tomb and found that his body was missing. They returned to the other disciples with the unbelievable news that they had seen a vision of angels, who told them that Jesus was alive. Some of the men had gone to the tomb, and found it empty, just as the women had said; but they saw neither angels, nor Jesus.
While the two were walking along, deep in this conversation, Jesus himself came up and walked with them; but for some reason they failed to recognise them. After listening to their account of what had taken place, he began to explain to them why the events that puzzled them so much were not inexplicable, but were in fact necessary. The long-awaited Messiah had to suffer and die in this way, and would then rise again on the third day. It had all been foretold by the prophets, and had to happen like this.
When they reached Emmaus, the travellers urged the stranger to stay with them, since it was nearly evening. At the table, he took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them. Suddenly they recognised their unknown travelling companion as Jesus; but at that same moment he vanished from their sight. Leaving their evening meal unfinished, they hurried back the seven miles to Jerusalem, to tell their friends that they had seen Jesus alive, and had recognised him "in the breaking of bread".
St Luke tells this story in some detail: he, like his first audience, knew a good story when he had one to share. It doesn't only show us, in a dramatic and thrilling way, that Jesus really is alive. It also shows us how and where we can meet him for ourselves. It's when we are "on the Journey", just getting on with the business of life, and very often when we are in company with someone else, that Jesus may draw alongside and walk with us. It's when we try to understand the events of our lives and times, in the light of what has been revealed in Scripture. It's when we extend hospitality to a stranger, or help our neighbour in need. It's when we share in a meal with others, and especially when we take part together in the celebration of the Eucharist, or Holy Communion, or Lord's Supper. At all these times, and in all these ways, we may find that - though we may not have noticed it at first - the living presence of Jesus has been with us.
The mystery of the Resurrection lies at the very heart of the Christian faith. But it is not an intellectual conundrum, a kind of Sudoku puzzle in which we have to try and work out how the numbers line up, and how we can explain an empty tomb, or how a dead body can go missing. Some people have the kind of temperament which makes it easy for them to accept all this, while others of a more sceptical disposition find it almost impossible. Much more important than mental assent to a doctrine about how it all happened, is the experience of Jesus as a presence in your life.
It might not take anything more complicated than a simple prayer: "Living Jesus, walk with me on the journey of my life; and help me to recognise you in every place where you are to be found."
Published in the Marston Times, April 2006