Jesus Walks to Emmaus with His Friends

Luke 24: 13 - 49

Mark 16: 12 - 13

How can we be in the presence of our dearest friend, Jesus, and not recognize him?

The two people who were walking home to Emmaus on the road from Jerusalem must have wondered about that for years afterwards.

The couple may have been a husband and wife, since they invited Jesus to their home for the evening meal.

And they recognized him in the breaking of the bread. There must have been something truly distinctive in the way Jesus gave the blessing and shared the bread, the presence of God that we still remember and feel as we share the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

This seven-mile journey took place in the late afternoon of Easter Day. Mary Magdalene and the other women had gone to Jesus' tomb in the very early morning of that day.

1. Who was the man Jesus accompanied on his journey?

[The man's name was Cleopas.]

2. Did the two people recognize Jesus?

[No, the two people thought Jesus was a total stranger.]

3. What did the people do even though they thought they didn't know Jesus?

[They invited him to their home to eat supper and spend the night.]

4. What did the two people do as soon as Jesus left?

[The two people walked all the way back to Jerusalem that night to tell the other disciples about walking with Jesus.]