The Road to Emmaus: Scriptures and the Eucharist

 When we read the story of the road to Emmaus we may take note of two important elements: the work of "cathecism" and the breaking of the Bread. We read that the Resurrected Lord gives something like a rapid teaching of the disciples on what was written. But then that was not enough.  The disciples were still at a loss. Later, after that walk Jesus broke bread at table with the disciples. The minds, the eyes of the disciples were opened.

We know the story. The two disciples are walking to Emmaus away from Jerusalem, talking about the event of Jesus crucified. Then Jesus comes along and gives his "lecture" series. The disciples do not recognize him.  Nearing Emmaus the disciples ask Jesus to stay over with them. They beg him to hang around still as Jesus pretends to be on his way. 

Now at the table Jesus breaks the bread and gives his blessing, his benediction. The eyes of the disciples open, they recognize Jesus. Jesus disappears and the disciples admit how their hearts were ALREADY BURNING during the catechesis. Immediately the disciples return to Jerusalem to break the news to the other disciples. "Jesus is truly risen". They talk about the walk with Jesus to Emmaus and the breaking of the bread. 

That walk to Emmaus was a kind of catechism on the faith. The faith of the disciples somehow started to clarify--their hearts were burning, they were more and more interested, enlivened. Although they were disciples of Jesus they did not yet know what was underneath all that Jesus said and did. In theology school this is termed as the "before-Easter" understanding abiut Jesus. Jesus had to give a lecture, a rapid "semestral" course on Scriptures. [No, it was not "on line"]. Jesus showed the plan of salvation as depicted in the Scriptures.

But what really opened up the minds and eyes and hearts of the disciples? It was the breaking of the bread. That gesture, we know, is the "memorial" of the sacrifice of Jesus. It summarizes and gives summit to what the catechism was presenting earlier. So two elements supplemented each other: 

1. the encounter with the RIsen Lord with and through the Scriptures and 

2. the breaking of the bread. 

The story tells us that the faith is now guided, it knows where to lead itself which is the realization of a new life, a new world. 

In our own daily lives we see the same route to Emmaus, and beyond. We know of very painful experiences and we have them in our stories to tell. Like the disciples we can live this "walk" with Christ presenting, discretely, both his Person and his teaching, his "catechesis". He accompanies us in our walk of hope. Are our hearts burning? 

The route to Emmaus was not done in haste. Perhaps there were moments of pause, questions and answers, moments of reflection and even prayer. We need that too in our walk. We need quality time for prayer, meditation. We need quality time to catch breath and re-breathe in our faith. Like the disciples, even if, perhaps we do not recognize the presence of Jesus, our hearts are already burning. Jesus is really with us,

We also need to eat the broken bread. We need that intimacy with the living bread. We need to share the meal with each other. The Eucharistic celebration is that pause, that long pause, that allows us to openly confirm our faith in Christ. 

Charles de Foucauld saw, in his own ministry among the Arabs and Touaregs the place both of Scriptures and the Eucharist. Although he did emphasize the role of "insertion" among the inhabitants, he knew that his Scriptural and Eucharistic practices were equally "effective" in his ministry of living with the people around him.