What I’m Thinking: Are We Fed?

Walking toward Emmaus, Jesus’ disciples didn’t recognize him, even if his words thrilled them. They recognized him as they realized they were fed.

Here’s a transcript:

I’m thinking about one of my favorite stories in the Scriptures. You’ll find it in the twenty-fourth chapter of Luke’s gospel (Luke 24:13-35).

It occurs on that Easter Sunday. Two of Jesus’ disciples (one of them, we learn, is named Cleopas) were leaving Jerusalem, headed for Emmaus. Along the way they encountered somebody whom they did not recognize but that we know was Jesus. Jesus reinterpreted the Scriptures for them so that they would understand why the one to redeem Israel would be crucified and then resurrected.

Their hearts burn within them, as it says later in the story, but they still don’t recognize him until they stopped for the night, asked him to join them for supper, and he broke bread. It’s at that moment that they recognized him and also that moment in which he disappeared.

One of the constant questions of faithful people, one of the things that Christians have to ask themselves in every place and in every time, is: “How do we recognize what is divine?” Christians would put it, “How do we recognize the risen Christ among us?” or “How would we recognize the movement of the Holy Spirit?” or “How do we recognize the handwork of our creator God?”

One answer, it seems to me, is found right here in this story of Jesus and his friends walking towards Emmaus. We find what is divine when we are truly fed. We find what is divine when our spirits are so fed that our hearts burn within us. We find ourselves in the presence of the Divine when there is food upon the table. We are in the presence of the Divine when we are renewed and healed and set free.

There are so many ways that people have understood God, have understood Jesus. Each of them needs to be tested, and I can think of no better test than this:

Are we fed? Are we freed? Are we healed? Is this a sign of the presence of God?

That’s what I’m thinking. I’m curious to hear what you’re thinking. Leave me your thoughts in the comment section below; I’d love to hear from you.