In Meeting You, I Met Jesus

 In Meeting You, I Meet Jesus in You

A Reflection on Luke 24:13-35

The Road to Emmaus isn’t on my GPS, but it’s a road, much like Robert Frost’s “Road Less Traveled,” but one I’ve found myself on more times than I realized. As I thought about the road the two followers took after the crucifixion, it’s one of three appearances after His resurrection that reminds me of many of you. These appearances are transformational, and I’ll share them with you.

First, they meet Christ in a spiritual conversation on this journey, though not realizing it at first. (i.e. John 4) Now, this wasn’t a Bible Study, a pilgrimage, or a conference; it was just two guys who were down and out, simply wanting to go home. They were talking about their Lord’s death. And when Jesus spoke to them, He connected the Scriptures to what had just happened. Similarly, we’re all on a journey through life, searching for meaning. Sometimes we’re confused and broken, and someone engages us, helping us to make sense of it all. When that happens to me, I think back as these guys did, recognizing Jesus, and the same with many of you….. it’s Jesus the Christ within us that I’ve met along the way. 

Second, in their journey with Jesus, who they hadn’t yet recognized as the Lord, they invited Him to a meal. This act of hospitality is a key part of the transformative experience. How many times have you invited someone over for coffee, picked someone up on the road who needed a lift? I remember a lady who, I think intentionally sometimes, would drive her car when I was done with football practice and pick me up to take me home since I had to walk home otherwise, “dog tired.” But it was Julialice whom I later realized lived Jesus in her life. I remember a pastor, after my father’s very tragic death, who encountered me with a note of encouragement, and in that note, I saw Jesus in him. Maybe you’ve encountered Jesus through your hospitality. This understanding of meeting Jesus by loving and serving others has been the focus of Francis of Assisi and Teresa fo Calcutta. Can you imagine being poor, sick, unto death, and having someone cradle your head and gently wipe your head with a cool cloth? In a scene from a wonderful movie, “Great Awakening,” George Whitefield is in a prison with the Holy Club of Oxford caring for prisoners, and he begins to wash the prisoners’ feet. When asked why, he responded to John Wesley, “I want to do what you did for me.” My interpretation of that scene was that George Whitefield saw Jesus in John Wesley through his act of kindness by washing his feet. The prisoners allowed George and John to wash their feet, and they saw Jesus in them. (John 13:1-19). 

Third, the picture is of these two followers realizing who Jesus was during the breaking of bread. (Hebrews 13:2). It’s interesting that Jesus was walking when they invited Him to sit and break bread with them. They had walked with Him, talked with Him, but it wasn’t until they broke bread with Him that they put it all together and recognized Him as the Risen Lord. There was a time when Mom and the three of us had very little, but the love of folks kept us going by buying clothes for school, bringing us meals, and even inviting Mom and her three kids over for a meal. (Matthew 25:34-40). When I think back on this part of our life’s journey, I don’t remember their names, but I remember their acts of kindness to a struggling single-parent family of four. When I look back, I saw Jesus in them. And even though Cleopas and his friend were home, they returned to the disciples to tell them that they had met Jesus. Well, I was too young to do that, but these encounters with Jesus through many of you led me to hear God’s call to ministry and mission, so I could tell others about Him. He may be found in a person you meet on your journey, in a conversation that you may have over a cup of coffee, or when you are invited to someone’s home to sit and break bread.  

What we cannot see at first becomes revelatory. The stranger becomes Christ. The meal becomes transformational in part because it is an expression of love and acceptance between persons. The scales fall from our eyes, and especially when our hearts are broken, we discover we see we are not alone, that we are in fact in union with God; and not even death, suffering, and pain can take His love away.  He is with us always. (Ken Massey, edited by Q)

Thank you for walking with me, helping me on my journey, because I saw Christ in you. Thanks to many of you for breaking bread with me, because it was in the breaking of bread that I saw Christ in you. And it is because of Christ in all of you that I heard God’s call to me for ministry and mission.

Grace and Peace,

Quentin

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