The following poem gives three perspectives to one of my favorite portions of Scripture, found in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 24. During one of my pilgrimages to Israel, our group stopped for lunch in a picnic area along Emmaus Road. I've often wondered how amazing it had to have been to have Jesus Himself explain the Old Testament Scriptures to the strangers He met along that road. No wonder their hearts burned within them! Comments are always welcome. I love to receive them!
THE
EMMAUS TRIPTYCH
I. THE
UNNAMED FRIEND
Cleopas
and friend walked and talked
with
lumbering gaits and downcast faces
shining
hopes of sweet redemption
dashed
and obliterated
They
asked of each other the Why question
for
if anyone had come to fill those old
prophecies
surely
it had seemed to be Him
that
Jesus they'd come to know
through
signs and wonders
that
appeared to be miraculous
Their
so-called Messiah had been crucified
was
dead and gone. Yes, gone, gone, gone!
Even
His cold dead body was missing
from
the sealed up tomb
He approached them
in
the midst of their perplexity
walked
with them, talked with them
they
even felt His fire
but
didn't know who He was
and
strange as that may seem
how
often have I been
the
unnamed friend of Cleopas?
I,
too, profess to know Him, know Him well
yet
fail to recognize Him along the road
II. THE STRANGER
Taking
the barley loaf in his hands
the
stranger lifted it
Baruch ata Adonai
Eloheynu Melech ha Olam
ha motzie lechem
min ha'aretz
He
tore it, offered it, and just as it fell
into
reaching grasps
their
astonished eyes recognized Him
and
in that instant
He
utterly vanished from their sight!
Leaping
from the table, Cleopas and his friend
stumbled
over each other
looking
under, over, around and around
knowing
even as they did
it
was True after all
As
they looked at each other
their
disbelief became relief
the
sweet awakening of new Belief
for
Truth visited them along the way
joined
them at their table, broke their humble bread
They
asked each other
Were not our hearts burning
as He talked with us on the road
and opened the Scriptures to us?
Blazing
temples of Holy Fire
they
suddenly knew their once shattered hearts
would
never cool again
III. MY EMMAUS
When
I first found You, or You found me
I
thought I'd go from strength to strength
pinnacle
to pinnacle, joy to joy
and
so it was for a season
when
love was new
then the whirlwind came
thrashing
through my world
upending
all my securities
leaving
me stunned, broken, alone
certain
I would die
so
I waited for You to save me
waited
for prayers pleaded at Your scarred feet
to
avail their just reward
for
I believed in You, trusted, hoped
Eyes
veiled, I couldn't find You
failed
to recognize You along the road
Had
I believed in vain?
Then
You began to speak
not
audibly, but whenever I opened Your Word
Radiance,
Glory, Unfailing Love
sprang
from the page and became manifest
My
heart blazed! I began to shine!
Now,
on the other side of sorrow
I
dare not forget my burning heart,
Your
Glorious Presence
so
I abide, remembering
it
is You, my Jesus
Who
walks with me along the road
Maude
Carolan
