We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake,

Post-resurrection accounts are interesting . . .

They reveal discrepancies between the various authors and communities.

Earliest layer seems to understand these as visions; later layers would interpret the accounts as a corporeal reality.

Debates were raging as to:

1) How can Jesus' execution and death be understood and interpreted? (Through the scriptures. . . .)

2) Who was a legitimate authority? Who was prominent and who was subordinate?

3) Was the resurrection a visionary experience or a physical appearance?

Today's reading is just an excerpt from a longer narrative.

Focus on the mystery that is present but not immediately recognized; that which is already known yet not perceived.

It is about both the mystery of an unrecognized presence, and the awakening to it's reality.

A few illustrations:

1) A poem

2) Story of my entering seminary.

3) Meeting George at a recent Elderhostel.

These stories are all about the journey of discovery, of who we are, of our connection to one another and to this home we call earth, and of the calling to bring to birth the unique love, light and wisdom that is within us. It may be frightening at times, it may be painful, it may be a sudden gift of grace, it may take a long time, but it is always about what is true, what is real, and what is necessary in the deepest part of our being.

And on this journey, on this road to Emmaus, we find that we are never alone, we have not been abandoned, and the One in whom we place our trust is eternally present, eternally welcoming, eternally being reborn.

Now, that same day two of them were traveling to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were engaged in conversations about all that had taken place. And it so happened, during the course of their discussions, that Jesus himself approached and began to walk along with them. But they couldn't recognize him.

He said to them, "What were you discussing as you walked along?"

Then they paused, looking depressed. One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who doesn't know what's happened there these last few days?"

And he said to them, "What are you talking about?"

And they said to him, "About Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet powerful in word and deed in the eyes of God and all the people, and about how our ranking priests and rulers turned him in to be sentenced to death, and crucified him. We were hoping that he would be the one who was going to ransom Israel. And as if this weren't enough, it's been three days now since all this happened. Meanwhile, some women from our group gave us quite a shock. They were at the tomb early this morning and didn't find his body. They came back claiming even to have seen a vision of heavenly messengers, who said that he was alive. Some of those with us went to the tomb and found it exactly as the women had described; but nobody saw him."

And he said to them, "You people are so slow-witted, so reluctant to trust everything the prophets have said! Wasn't the Anointed One destined to undergo these things and enter into his glory?" Then, starting with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted for them every passage of scripture that referred to himself.

They had gotten close to the village to which they were going, and he acted as if he were going on. But they entreated him, saying, "Stay with us; it's almost evening, the day is practically over." So he went in to stay with them.

And so, as soon as he took his place at table with them, he took a loaf, and gave a blessing, broke it, and started passing it out to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight.