Reading: Luke 24:13-29

Luke 24:25 – “Then Jesus said to them, ‘You foolish people! Your dull minds keep you from believing all that the prophets talked about.'”

Today and tomorrow we walk with the Emmaus road disciples. This story is found only in Luke’s gospel. This encounter takes place on that first Sunday, on the day of Jesus’ resurrection. Two of Jesus’ disciples are walking to Emmaus. It might be “home.” They were talking about recent events: Jesus’ arrest and all that followed. They share all of this with Jesus as he joins them, noting that they had hoped that this Jesus was the one to redeem Israel. They do not recognize this stranger that they walk with as Jesus.

Jesus admonishes them, saying, “You foolish people! Your dull minds keep you from believing all that the prophets talked about.” He reminds them that these recent events were necessary. Jesus then unpacks the scriptures for them, starting with Moses, working his way through the prophets. What a Bible lesson this must have been! Today’s reading ends with the disciples inviting Jesus to stay the night with them.

We might wonder how the disciples could walk with Jesus and not recognize him. Yet, how many times did I encounter Jesus yesterday and fail to recognize him? Was it in the words of that tour guide? Was it in the smile of that older woman? Was it in the welcome clearly present in that gathering spot? Jesus is present to us in so many ways. Where did you encounter Jesus yesterday?

Prayer: Lord God, first, thank you for the many ways that you are present to us. You come alive in the red letters. Your Spirit moves us and speaks into our hearts and minds. But we also miss you here and there, sometimes everywhere. So, Lord, open our eyes and hearts to see you in the world around us – in the people, in the signs, in the encounters. Eyes and hearts open, touch our lives. Amen.