Wednesday in the Octave of Easter
Readings for Wednesday in the Octave of Easter
First Published: Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Shuffling off to Emmaus
Reflection:
Our story from Acts continues today with Peter and John curing the cripple at the Beautiful Gate. The power of the risen Christ, coupled with the in-dwelling Holy Spirit is shown to be a powerful agent for good. It is interesting to note that the Cripple did not go into the Temple praising John and Peter who had been the instruments of his miraculous recovery, but God. While Luke did not record it, John and Peter must have used the same formula that Jesus used when he was going about curing the afflicted; Your faith has cured you.
I wonder what John and Peter said to each other after that happened. They had to be a little surprised. And I wonder what they saw when they looked at the Cripple lying there at the gate. The story says; But Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, Look at us. How did they discern that this mans faith could allow the Glory of God to work through him?
The Gospel today is one of my favorite stories from Scripture, the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. It is that very image, shuffling along that dusty road at Jesus side that I think of as I go off to work in the morning, not sure if it is really the Lord who is with me, but hoping He is close by. I explained at the beginning of this web log (blog) that I am not one blessed with a child like faith. I have to work on it every day as hard as I can. I am usually like these two disciples walking down the road, they are afraid, the Lord was just crucified and buried they were there.
They were probably fleeing to Emmaus to avoid being characterized as followers of Jesus. Although they did not know it, back in Jerusalem, the Tomb had already been found empty by the Jesus closest friends and the Sanhedrin had already paid the guards to start spreading the word that those same followers had stolen the Lords body and hidden it. These two were still likely remembering the awful passion of the Lord how he was beaten, mocked and nailed, not tied, to a cross and died defeated, humiliated, and dishonored.
So they ran, not understanding that the Lord had come to fulfill what had been predicted about Him in scripture. And as they ran, they were joined by a stranger who apparently did not know about what had happened. Notice when they tell him how they do not recognize his true nature. They dont call him Jesus the Son of God or Jesus the Messiah or even Jesus the King of the Jews. They call him; Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people.
It is only after this stranger has rekindled their faith by using the scripture predictions to bring them to understand who Jesus truly was that they began to understand. They finally recognized him as he once more blessed the bread. (It does not say this in the story, but if I were doing this in a movie or on TV I would script the Lord saying; Take this all of you and eat it, this is my body.) You bet they recognized him and thus enlightened, they ran, not walked, back to tell the others.
Today again, we pray that we may walk with the Lord and recognize him in the strangers we meet. Pax
Readings for Wednesday in the Octave of Easter
First Published: Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Shuffling off to Emmaus
Reflection:
Our story from Acts continues today with Peter and John curing the cripple at the Beautiful Gate. The power of the risen Christ, coupled with the in-dwelling Holy Spirit is shown to be a powerful agent for good. It is interesting to note that the Cripple did not go into the Temple praising John and Peter who had been the instruments of his miraculous recovery, but God. While Luke did not record it, John and Peter must have used the same formula that Jesus used when he was going about curing the afflicted; Your faith has cured you.
I wonder what John and Peter said to each other after that happened. They had to be a little surprised. And I wonder what they saw when they looked at the Cripple lying there at the gate. The story says; But Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, Look at us. How did they discern that this mans faith could allow the Glory of God to work through him?
The Gospel today is one of my favorite stories from Scripture, the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. It is that very image, shuffling along that dusty road at Jesus side that I think of as I go off to work in the morning, not sure if it is really the Lord who is with me, but hoping He is close by. I explained at the beginning of this web log (blog) that I am not one blessed with a child like faith. I have to work on it every day as hard as I can. I am usually like these two disciples walking down the road, they are afraid, the Lord was just crucified and buried they were there.
They were probably fleeing to Emmaus to avoid being characterized as followers of Jesus. Although they did not know it, back in Jerusalem, the Tomb had already been found empty by the Jesus closest friends and the Sanhedrin had already paid the guards to start spreading the word that those same followers had stolen the Lords body and hidden it. These two were still likely remembering the awful passion of the Lord how he was beaten, mocked and nailed, not tied, to a cross and died defeated, humiliated, and dishonored.
So they ran, not understanding that the Lord had come to fulfill what had been predicted about Him in scripture. And as they ran, they were joined by a stranger who apparently did not know about what had happened. Notice when they tell him how they do not recognize his true nature. They dont call him Jesus the Son of God or Jesus the Messiah or even Jesus the King of the Jews. They call him; Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people.
It is only after this stranger has rekindled their faith by using the scripture predictions to bring them to understand who Jesus truly was that they began to understand. They finally recognized him as he once more blessed the bread. (It does not say this in the story, but if I were doing this in a movie or on TV I would script the Lord saying; Take this all of you and eat it, this is my body.) You bet they recognized him and thus enlightened, they ran, not walked, back to tell the others.
Today again, we pray that we may walk with the Lord and recognize him in the strangers we meet. Pax
posted by Deacon Jim | 3:53 AM
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