Luke 24:13-49
Now on that same day two of them were going to a
village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each
other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and
discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were
kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while
you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them,
whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does
not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The
things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word
before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him
over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was
the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day
since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us.
They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body
there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels
who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and
found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.” Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart
to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the
Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them
the things about himself in all the scriptures. As they came near the village
to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they
urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and
the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at
the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.
Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from
their sight. They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he
was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found
the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, “The Lord
has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what
had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the
breaking of the bread.
While they were talking about this, Jesus
himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled
and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, “Why are
you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my
feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have
flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said
this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in
their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you
anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he
took it and ate in their presence. Then he said to them, “These
are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that
everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms
must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the
scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to
suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and
forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning
from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon
you what God promised; so stay here in the city until you
have been clothed with power from on high.”
***
Will you pray with and for me? Holy One,
sometimes we cannot see beyond our own fear and sadness and pain to the healing
and joy we are offered. Teach us to be open to your possibility, to move beyond
the limitations we are so certain of, to the realisation of your presence with
us. In all your names, amen.
How many of you remember the movie Field of
Dreams? I love that movie…partly because of the baseball, partly because I
like almost everything I’ve ever seen with James Earl Jones in it, but
also because it reminds me that we are not always aware of everything around
us, that sometimes we can’t see what is right in front of us.
For those of you who haven’t seen
it, a quick recap—Kevin Costner plays Ray Kinsella, a farmer and baseball fan,
something he inherited from his father, who idolised “Shoeless Joe” Jackson and the
Chicago White Sox, even though Shoeless Joe was implicated in the throwing of
baseball games in the 1919 World Series. He hears a voice in his cornfield
saying, “If you
build it, he will come.” He builds the field and waits, while his
neighbours tease him about plowing under his corn for a baseball field, and his
brother-in-law Mark warns that he will
lose money and the farm by doing that. Then one night, he hears a ballgame
being played and goes outside to find the 1919 Chicago White Sox in the midst
of a game. He contacts the famous baseball writer Terence Mann—played
by James Earl Jones—who at first wants nothing to do with him, but
eventually agrees to accompany Ray to find Archie “Moonlight” Graham, a young
player who washed out of the big leagues and became a doctor. Ray and Terence
bring Moonlight back to the field, where he joins the team. When Ray’s daughter
is hurt, however, Moonlight leaves the baseball field—thus becoming the old doctor again—in order
to save her. Terence then joins the team in the cornfield, telling Ray that he,
Ray, has to stay and help raise his family. Ray then recognises the catcher as
his father, and they play catch together as a long line of cars forms on the
road leading to the farm—the field was built, and they are coming to watch the team play.
Now, one of the interesting things is that the
brother-in-law can’t see the players or hear the sounds of the game
for most of the movie. Ray’s daughter, who loves baseball too, can; and so
can Ray’s wife
Annie. When people believe, they can see the players and enjoy the game. In the
end, Mark, Ray’s
brother in law, can also see the players.
So—how many of us are like Mark? Do we recognise
the wonders all around us? Or are we like Cleopas and the other disciple, so
wrapped up in their grief that they couldn’t recognise Jesus, even though they spoke to him
for a long while?
The love and presence of God are all around
us, all the time--whether we are aware of it or not, whether respond or not. We
can take Mark's position, that we don't see, that it is impossible, that such
things don't happen--long-dead baseball players from Chicago don't show up inq
a cornfield in Iowa. Or we can understand that there is more to the world than
we can grasp, and see with the eyes of hope instead of despair.
Mark was looking at the cornfield with the
eyes of facts and numbers and stark reality, the negative viewpoint that said,
"This is not the best financial use of that field." And then he saw
afresh, thorough eyes of hope, open to possibility--and saw the baseball
players, and understood the possibilities of the world.
The disciples going to Emmaus that day were
also deep in the glass-half-empty place. The very person whose death they were
mourning was walking beside them, talking with them, and yet they could not
perceive that it was him. They finally do--after he has explained everything to
them--and they recognise him when blesses and offered bread to them--an act of
hospitality and caring.
Can we open our senses to the presence of
good, of blessing, of hope in our lives? It can be very easy to focus on the
difficulties, the troubles we have, rather than on what is good. We see the
cornfield when we could be watching a baseball game; we see a stranger rather
than our dearest friend.
This week, look for the baseball game;
remember to see a dear friend instead of a wise stranger. God is present all around
and among and through you--in the shared laughter of friends, in the love of
children, partners, family; in conversation and healing; in the gift of
ourselves, given to others in service.
Be open to that presence of God, the blessings of love and care -- they
are what the world seesks, and what we can offer. In all God's names, amen.
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