The story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus invites us to reflect on a powerful question: If Jesus were to arrive today, in our time, just as He did during the time of His disciples, would we recognize Him?
My Reflection
1. I often wonder, putting myself in the shoes of the Jewish people and the followers of Jesus as He carried out His public ministry on earth to reveal God’s love and mercy to humanity and to call people to repentance and faith in Him as the long-awaited Messiah and the Son of God, whether I would accept Him as the Messiah if I were among those people during His time, witnessing Jesus teaching, healing the sick, performing miracles, and proclaiming the coming of the Kingdom of God. Through this Gospel, Luke 24:13-35, I think my answer would be that I would recognize Him if I had a heart similar to the hearts of Cleopas and his companion.
2. In this account from the Bible, we see Jesus himself drew near and walked with Cleopas and his companion. These two disciples were drawn to Jesus because they were open to His message, willing to hear what He was trying to tell them. They were discussing the recent events surrounding Jesus’ Crucifixion and Resurrection, showing their interest in understanding the truth and recognizing the Messiah. They even talked about Jesus (Whom they hadn’t physically recognized yet) with great respect and honor:
“Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people. It clearly clarifies then how these two men have been loyal followers of Jesus Christ since the time of His public ministry.”
~ Luke 24:19
3. As they walked, they expressed their hope and desire that they had always had that Jesus was already “The One”—“the one to redeem Israel.” This deep longing for the Messiah demonstrated their openness to God’s plan, as they described their “hearts burning [within them] (Luke 24:32)” as Jesus explained the Scriptures as they journeyed to Emmaus. Their openness and desire for the Messiah prepared them to recognize Jesus when He revealed Himself after He took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them.
4. As I’ve mentioned earlier, I often wonder whether I would accept Jesus if I were among the Jews at that time. If I put myself in their position, would I believe someone who claimed to be the Messiah straight away? Or would I reject and be hostile to Him like many of the divisions or groups of the Jewish people—including the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Zealots—who failed to recognize Jesus as the Messiah?
5. What led them to react with hostility and rejection to Jesus? I personally believe that it wasn’t about whether some ordinary man should approach you and claim something grand about himself, causing you to be super careful to determine whether this man is a phony or a fraudster. I personally believe that it’s because of their innermost hearts or selves (or “budhi,” in Tagalog or Filipino, a word I have already mentioned a few times in my blog). Their innermost hearts were not truly seeking God; they were more concerned with worldly pleasures and maintaining appearances than with genuine faith and love of God. That is why their corrupted hearts were unable to sense the holiness of the Messiah. Otherwise, their hearts would have had the discernment that Jesus was a holy man, and that He was the Son of God as He claimed He is.
6. In contrast, Cleopas and his companion on the road to Emmaus were drawn to Jesus not only by His teachings but also by His personal presence and character. As they walked and talked with Jesus, they were deeply moved by the wisdom and compassion He displayed. They felt their hearts burning within them as Jesus explained the Scriptures and shared His insights with them. This suggests that Jesus had a powerful and compelling presence that was able to captivate and inspire those around Him.
7. His disciples were not only impressed by His teachings but also by the person He was—kind, compassionate, wise, and deeply spiritual. All this they discerned because of their pure, godly hearts which always yearned for the Messiah. The way they described Jesus with much reverence demonstrated their sense of His holiness, which was why they were likewise drawn to Him as Jesus drew near to them.
8. As I mentioned earlier, I often fantasize about whether I, as a Jew, would recognize our Messiah if I were living during that time. We are already familiar with the story of Jesus’ First Coming as part of our salvation history. Jesus was born into a humble family and raised in Nazareth, a small and relatively impoverished town. He worked as a carpenter before embarking on His public ministry.
9. And now, both you and me should have faith in who Jesus Christ is, as taught in the Bible and the Catholic Church, like what the Apostles’ Creed says, which distills the fundamental basics of what it means to be a Catholic and follow in the teachings of God—even if we have not met Our Lord physically.
10. However, the question of whether we would recognize the Second Person of the Holy Trinity if He arrived today is still as relevant as ever. For every day, in our own road to Emmaus called “life,” Jesus draws Himself near to us, like He did with Cleopas and his companion, seeking to be closer to us. But it is up to us, whether we feel drawn to Jesus or not and reciprocate His invitation of love.
11. Like Cleopas and his companion, our hearts must be of God, eagerly anticipating the Second Coming of Jesus Christ the Messiah and desiring Heaven as our ultimate destination.
12. As we journey through life, our openness to God allows our spirits to recognize His presence in every moment of our lives, wherever we are, however we are, in joy and sadness, even if we do not physically see Him. Just as the disciples’ hearts burned within them when Jesus spoke, if we have hearts the same as Cleopas’ and his companion’s, our hearts burn whenever we hear the Word of God, see and do things of God, and interact with other people of God.
13. By detaching ourselves from worldly desires and yearning for the Second Coming of Jesus, we can recognize His presence in the silence of our hearts, amidst the chaos and noise of the world.
14. The story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus culminates with the breaking of bread, which seals their faith and enables them to fully recognize Jesus physically with their eyes. This pivotal moment emphasizes the importance of the Eucharist in our own faith journey and relationship with Jesus. It is a reminder and a reaffirmation of the significance of the Last Supper and the Eucharist, which bring forth the physical recognition of the disciples with their eyes.
15. We need to use our time on earth to recognize the Most Holy Presence of God in our lives. Because, like Cleopas and his disciple, Jesus draws near to those who want to know Him.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.”
~ John 10:14
16. Otherwise, for people who do not belong to His flock, at the end of the world, when Jesus arrives again, He will not recognize them, just as they never even bothered in this life to recognize Him,
“And then will I declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’”
~ Matthew 7:23
17. And that will be unfortunate for the reprobate, as stated in the book of Revelation, when the Son of Man comes, it will be a time of pain and justice for those who have not recognized and followed Him. They don’t even have the courage to face Him because they never recognized Him in this lifetime:
~ Revelation 6:16
This verse illustrates the fear and anguish that will be experienced by those who have rejected and failed to recognize Jesus during their lives.
18. The opposite of Revelation 6:16, which describes the fear and anguish experienced by those who have rejected Jesus, can be found in Revelation 21:3-4. These verses express the joy and comfort experienced by the faithful, the elect, who will be with God in Heaven:
“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’”
These verses emphasize the reward for those who have recognized Jesus and remained faithful to Him throughout their lives. They will experience God’s presence, love, and care, living in a place free from pain, suffering, and death.
Conclusion
The Road to Emmaus serves as an allegory for life on earth, illustrating the importance of remaining open to God’s presence and recognizing Jesus in our daily lives, just as Cleopas, his companion, the faithful disciples, and loyal followers did. By cultivating a desire for the Messiah, immersing ourselves in Scripture, embracing the Eucharist, and anticipating the Second Coming of Jesus, our hearts can discern what is good, holy, or sacred, reject what is bad and unholy, and be able to recognize Jesus in the silence of our hearts and face His Second Coming without fear. Our preparedness for His return ensures that we will not be among those who experience pain and fear at the sight of the Son of Man, but rather, we will rejoice in the fulfillment of God’s plan for humanity.
As Revelation 21:3-4 promises, the faithful will experience joy and comfort in God’s perpetual presence, living in a place free from pain, suffering, and death. Our commitment to recognizing and following Jesus throughout our lives prepares us to embrace this heavenly reward, where we will dwell eternally with our loving Creator.
With this powerful lesson from the Road to Emmaus in mind, we are left with the question that began our reflection: If Jesus were to arrive today, would we recognize Him?
Saint Joseph, pray for us!
Mama Mary, pray for us!
Amen.
She graduated cum laude from the University of Santo Tomas, the country's Pontifical and Catholic university, with an AB in Legal Management and minor units in Theology.
As an unmarried woman, prayer holds a central place in her daily life, with a focus on the Rosary and the Divine Office. Embodying her faith, she emphasizes the growth of her inner spiritual life, guided by the wisdom of Carmelite spirituality.
God manifested to her in a unique and radical manner, which made her know Who He truly is and led her to total surrender of her life to Him.
She has studied the Bible with her family, developing a particular fondness for the Old Testament.
Her adorable and intelligent toy poodle is a delightful companion in her daily life, bringing warmth and joy to her home.
Her hobbies include reading about everything, learning Japanese and German, listening to music and playing the flute.
In her leisure time, she enjoys gaming on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch OLED, Nintendo 3DS, iOS and OS, and collecting things related to PlayStation and Nintendo.
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