Conversations serve various purposes both conscious and subconscious. We can have heart-to-heart or head-to-head conversations. In Luke 24:13-35 the conversation seems to be a way of dealing with grief as well as passing time on the two-hour walk from Jerusalem to Emmaus. But this was no ordinary chit-chat.
Cleopas and another were deep in conversation when Jesus drew up alongside them and asked what they were discussing. I’m sure Jesus noticed their downcast faces and you sense his kindness as he asks the follow-up question, “What things?”. “Are you the only one…who does not know…?” Cleopas’ mild dig at his supposed ignorance of the events doesn’t intimidate Jesus. His deliberate probing question is not for information of course but to allow the two to continue their dialogue. See what happens as they answer him. I hear a tone of indignation. The beautiful prophet Jesus of Nazareth had shown such promise, spoken so powerfully and his miracles and godly deeds of compassionate kindness all indicated He had been sent from God to redeem them. I can hear their heart cry wanting it all to still be true. Even the resurrection possibility had not been totally dismissed from their thinking as they told Jesus about the women’s amazing account from the tomb that morning.
The two are kept from recognizing him and their reply is revealing. Our conversations can tell us a lot about ourselves – what is preoccupying us, what is important to us. They had faith Jesus would be their redeemer but now this faith had been crushed and despondency was at the surface of their thinking. Nevertheless, in this disappointment I recognize hope mingled with fear. I can identify with this faith walk; it’s like a yearning for truth to emerge, disentangle itself from the restraints of life’s circumstances, to free itself. Next, Jesus meets their yearning in person, drawing alongside, listening, loving, explaining, correcting (“…how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken!”) Of course their hearts were burning, reignited in the original Truth they believed in.
What about our conversations? What do they reveal about our faith? Where could we honestly speak of our faith yearnings and declarations, and in the process, find Jesus incognito drawing alongside to ignite faith?
Rose
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