Their Eyes Were Opened

THEIR EYES WERE OPENED

a prayer to open

Open my eyes and help me to see you.

Open my heart and help me to know you.

Jesus, my Lord and my God.

That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus. . . . As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. . . . Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. But God kept them from recognizing him.

He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”

They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”

“What things?” Jesus asked.

“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.

“Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone.” . . .

Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

By this time they were nearing Emmaus. . . . They begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!

They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them. . . .

Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road.

The disciples who walked on the road to Emmaus with Jesus didn’t recognize him until he reenacted the Last Supper with them. And there in that moment, their eyes were opened. Yet they realized that their hearts recognized him first before their eyes, when he explained what the Scriptures said about him. Only in retrospect did they realize they’d known it was him all along.

• Why did Jesus’ breaking of the bread and giving thanks open the eyes of his followers and allow them to recognize him?
• Look back on the major events in your life, whether good or bad. Do you see evidence you weren’t aware of at the time of God’s presence in the people who surrounded you or in the circumstances? Where do you see evidence of God’s presence in your current season of life?
• What does today’s passage reveal to you about Jesus?

Father, open my eyes to you! I long to be aware of your presence in every moment and interaction. It is in you that I have my very being, yet I fail to recognize you, I forget you, and I even turn away from clear evidence of your presence. Help me live with open eyes, seeing you in the laughter and tears of strangers and friends, experiencing you in the power of a summer storm and the grace of a sunset, and praising you for your vast and intricate creation. Open my eyes, Lord! Amen.