Emmaus

I love the account in St. Luke’s Gospel of the encounter of two disciples with the risen Lord on the seven-mile journey between Jerusalem and Emmaus. There is something startlingly intimate about this episode compared to the public passion and death of Christ chronicled in the preceding chapter. I heard it put this way recently:  The Son of God, on the greatest day in human history, having just risen from the dead, chose to invest four hours in just two disciples on the point of despair. What personal love our Lord has for each of us!

Below is a poem that attempts to convey the urgency with which we should all look for our Lord on the road of life. Surely, He is here. Are we disposed to recognize Him?

Emmaus

At last.
Here look!
See Love.
Ye who go conversing sad.
Ye who see now
Your Lord drawing near
And yet see Him not.
Ye for whom Love
Hast died upon the gibbet
Drowned in blood that dread Friday afternoon
And all was thought lost.

At last.
Here look!
See Love.
Ye for whom both prophets and eyewitnesses sound opaque.
Ye who have heard the manifold things wondrous all
And yet have heard in them Him not.
O foolish ones! Hear ye still
And not only hear but listen too
To the Piercéd Word who pierceth the veil
Between your tried and tired faith
And creeping disbelief.

At last.
Here look!
See Love.
Ye who beckon your Friend to tarry.
Ye for whom heart’s fire
Was enkindled on that dusty road.
Your Master now waiteth reclined as Guest
To serve Himself through Bread.
For ‘tis in this will ye recognize anew
your thought lost Lord
And this last acquaintance will be as if for first.

Semantics are published each Tuesday during the academic year. To read last week's post on Seeking Silence, click here.