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Sermon for April 5-6, 2008
The Third Sunday of Easter
Eyes Open in Recognition—Luke 24:13-35
+Open our eyes, O Lord, and get them off of ourselves, that we may see you and know you among us and live in your resurrection reality—Amen.
Last week, while on vacation, I did a lot of walking … high desert foothill trails, snowshoeing through tall pine forests, and regular city sidewalks. One day’s walk stands out, however, in connection with today’s Gospel of Jesus with the two on the road to Emmaus.
Maybe it was the fact that I spent all of the long day before in airports and on airplanes, but after eating a relaxing meal at a little restaurant and turning in for the night, it dawned on me while I was sleeping that I forgot to leave a tip for the server. Late the next morning, I walked down to the restaurant (now open for lunch) and explained the situation to the woman in charge. “Ah yes,” she said, “I remember seeing you. Your server won’t be back until tonight, though.” “Well could you give him this?” I asked while handing her the money. “Indeed!” she replied.
I mention that incident because while I walked there I couldn’t help but thinking about that server and how he likely cursed me as a thankless lout. “I hope I didn’t heap any more despair on an already rough night,” I thought. After making the trek and leaving the tip, though, I felt lighter knowing that his opinion of me would no doubt change drastically, maybe even causing him to say, “Not too many people would do that—come back and set things right!” Joy hopefully replaced cynicism. That folded money was more than a tip, it conveyed a deeper reality about life, perception, and the possibility of change.
As Jesus walked that road to Emmaus later on the day of his rising back to life, he came near two of his wider circle of followers. They were deep in discussion, distraught and sorrowful over what they thought was Jesus final fate—dead and buried in a tomb, a sad and hopeless end. Not knowing that it was Jesus who was with them, they said: “He was a mighty prophet of God … and we thought he was the one to bring redemption to Israel, but look how dismally it turned out.” They’d heard the news that Jesus’ tomb was empty, but they didn’t know what it meant and what to believe. Then Jesus gave them a running commentary of the Hebrew Scriptures and explained to them all the things that pointed to him … but that still wasn’t enough.
What made things change? When Jesus agreed to stay with them for the night … and when beginning the meal he took the bread, blessed it and broke it and gave it to them. Then their eyes were open to his presence and recognized him—literally “knew again” who he was. You see, that was one of Jesus’ characteristic actions: taking bread, blessing it, and giving it … for he spoke of himself as the Bread of Heaven, as the Bread of Life, the Living Bread Come Into the World. Then it all became clear to them, “Yes, our hearts did burn with the fire of hope and joy as he explained Scripture to us on the road.” Their sad doldrums were gone and they sped back on the road to Jerusalem changed with the glad reality of Jesus’ resurrection and rejoicing that he broke bread with them.
Last Sunday I attended an Orthodox Liturgy, and even though I couldn’t commune, I appreciated as I have in the past the custom of the prosphora. You see, since fasting is expected before receiving the Lord’s Supper in the Orthodox Church, right after communing there’s always a bowl of unconsecrated bread for putting a little something extra in your stomach until the service is over. Those who don’t commune are always welcome to partake of that bread, so my friend brought me back a cube … and then a little boy, probably five or six, came up to me and held out another wedge of bread; his eyes were open to the fact that I didn’t commune and he wanted to recognize me too—it was a truly beautiful moment.
Often, our eyes aren’t wide open in recognition of Christ. They’re closed to concerns except our own; we see only our own situations, our own worries, our own sorrows, our own desires. Our eyes are often closed to what Christianity’s all about; we think we’ve got it covered by saying a prayer every now and then or reading a bit of the Bible … or by putting in our time in a pew … all the while going on with our own wrong-headed notions, resentments of others, and preoccupation with self. But the risen Jesus who comes among us in the breaking and giving of bread calls us to see him and know him in our midst as an unknown stranger on the road we’re traveling. As we heard in today’s Epistle: ‘Know that you have been freed from your useless ways through the precious blood of Christ. Let your souls be pure in obedience to the truth. Commit yourselves to brotherly love with a pure heart since you have been born anew through the living and abiding Word of God’ (I Peter 1:18-23).
When we come to our Lord’s breaking of the bread, and our breaking of bread with each other in faith, we should always be prepared in humble repentance to have our eyes opened wide once again to what being a Christian—a baptized and risen follower of Jesus—is really all about … to have our eyes open in love to God and all people, knowing that Jesus’ resurrection brought profound change to this world. When we come to the altar, we should always be asking and answering as we’ll be singing in a short while: “What is this bread? Christ’s body risen from the dead … O taste and see. What is this wine? The blood of Jesus shed for mine … O taste and see” (LSB, 629).
May God the Holy Spirit help us to walk with Christ in this land of the living with eyes wide open—Amen.