Easter Monday: The Road to Emmaus

The Gospel Lesson for today, Easter Monday, is my favorite post-Resurrection account, the Road to Emmaus, Luke 24:13-35.

One reason I like this account so much is it reveals so much of the personality of the risen Christ. In a way, he’s playful with the two disciples as he talks with them on the road about Himself while concealing his identity from them. At the same time, he's intent to teach and prepare his followers.

Like other post-resurrection accounts, it shows Jesus’ priority to just be with his disciples. He had only 40 days between his resurrection and his ascension, yet he spends an afternoon and an evening with these two. In St. John’s account, he has breakfast with his disciples by the seashore . . . and doesn’t say much during the meal. It seems he mainly wanted to be with them.

Indeed, one of his prayers between the Last Supper and Gethsemane asked “that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am.” (John 17:24) And from John 17:20, we see that he prayed this not just for his disciples at the time, but for us as well!

Doesn’t that go to the heart of why he died and rose again for us? He did it so we can be with Him and He with us . . . forever.