“He was known to them in the breaking of bread.” (Luke 24.35)

New Testament Challenge, Day 15 – Luke 22-24

In today’s reading we hear of the appearance of the resurrected Lord to Saint Luke and Saint Cleopas on the road to Emmaus. In this scene the two saints of the Church are walking along three days after the death of Christ when they meet who they think is a stranger. It is Christ who asks them what they are speaking about. They were confused: “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?” (Luke 24.18)

At first this is interesting for me simply because they should have recognized Him especially since they were themselves contemplating His Passion. Even in the face-to-face interaction with the Resurrected Jesus they did not recognize Him. This confirms the reality that Jesus reveals Himself to us and nothing we can do can force Him to appear and reveal Himself unless He chooses. The question is when and how does He choose to reveal Himself?

In the Eucharist! It wasn’t until Jesus was offering them the Eucharist that they finally recognized who He was. They even commented later, “Did not our heart burn within us while He walked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24.32) The same reality holds true for us as well. Even the daily study of Scripture cannot reveal the Lord to us without His blessing unless the Scriptures lead us also to Holy Communion.

It was true for Saint Luke and Saint Cleopas; why would we think otherwise for us? If we are not receiving Holy Communion we are not fully understanding Him.