Empty Tomb – Read Lk 24: 1-12
Contemplation
It’s been a long and depressing day’s walk to the little town of Emmaus. Cleopas and I have been on the road from Jerusalem all day, trying to leave behind Friday’s horrors. As we walk, our legs aching and our hearts breaking, we share memories, when we can bear to. We don’t really notice anything except the aches and trudge together in company for a while, sweaty and sad, until we notice that another set of steps has joined our own. “What’s the matter,” a gentle voice says. “What? Are you from out of town?” We pour out our grief to the warm, strange man who seems both gentle and clueless – telling him about our friend Jesus and the horrible things that happened to the one we hoped would save us all. We even mention that the women pretended they had had a vision of angels – obviously, they are trying to keep their world from falling apart by inventing stories. Although he’s gentle, the man seems unimpressed. “That’s silly,” he says. “The Scriptures make it clear that Jesus had to die and rise again.” Suddenly, this stranger is taking the Bible like a rabbi! We can’t let him go – but night is falling! Here’s a light twinkling in a window – it looks like a place we can get a meal. We open the creaky wooden door and find a place to sit down with the man, who seems to be keen. Suddenly, as we are eating, he … lifts the bread and blesses it. That’s sort of familiar. …. It’s HIM!
But then he’s gone – and all that’s left is the burning excitement.
We race back, completely forgetting how tired we were. The miles fly as we run in the dark – again, not seeing the world around us or feeling the cold night air. Jesus’ friends, men and women, are all there and everyone who is crammed into the room is shouting at once. Simon’s seen him too! Suddenly… he’s there and we wonder if we are imagining it. But no, there are the holes in his hands and feet, and he’s eating fish in front of us! Somehow it’s all clear – it HAD to be like this!
“I have to go now,” he says as we walk outside, “but I’m going to be sending you out soon! Wait until you receive God’s Power!” What! Going again? But still, we know he’s back, and he is promising to be with us for ever. A bright light, a shiny cloud of love fills and surrounds us. He blesses us, but his voice seems to come from far away. Somehow, even as he’s lifted from us, we know this isn’t the end….
As I talk to my fellow disciples and to Jesus, how do I feel?
Where is Jesus closest to me? In his presence or as he vanishes?
What does his promise mean for me now?