As they came near the village to which they were going, Jesus [whom they did not recognize] 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. . . .
Luke 24:28-33a (NRSV)
We made it!
Throughout Lent, we were journeying toward this destination – Easter! Doesn’t it feel good to have finally arrived? We can now get back to all those things we gave up for Lent. Thank God!
I think the two disciples of Jesus in the passage from Luke above are dealing with destinations, too. It seems they were expecting a destination in which Jesus was a kick-butt-take-names kind of Messiah who would kick out the Romans and restore the Jewish monarchy of David. But that was not the destination they saw; what they saw was a dead end. So, as we often do when things don’t go our way, they packed up their things and went home.
On the way, they met a stranger who, in response to their disappointment, talked to them about the Bible, warming their hearts. But as they reached their destination, they did what they must have seen many times before as disciples: inviting in a total stranger to break and share bread with together. Suddenly they saw Jesus in the stranger who disappeared, and their destination changed. They no longer saw a dead end, but they also weren’t given a destination. Rather, they were given a new beginning on their journey of faith.
This is my favorite Easter story. The Scriptures, as explained to these disciples along the road, warmed their hearts, but it was the act of living their faith – the way of life Jesus had taught them – in which Jesus was revealed. Biblical scholar, John Dominic Crossan, has said that Jesus started a franchise. He wasn’t a sole proprietor who did it all himself. Jesus setup a system where we work together to do the very same things he did. He says as much when he invites any would-be followers to take up their cross daily to follow him (Luke 9:23). He shows it when he sends the disciples out in pairs to do the same work he’s been doing (see Luke 9:1-6 and 10:1-20).
So, even though we have “arrived” at Easter, I hope we don’t approach it as a destination but a new beginning. I’ve come to believe that the Christian life is about new beginnings each day. Each day, there’s a cross, which must be taken up, but we don’t take it up alone. We do it with one another, and the Holy Spirit empowers us through Christ’s example. So may you be inspired to leave the dead ends and false hopes behind for the new way of life that only God can provide.
