Today in church we had the reading from Luke 24 about the disciples on the road to Emmaus. I’ve pondered this before in Presumption and Emmaus Road but for me I find a lot of the time these familiar stories have a new question or a new meaning appear. Today’s is a question.
Jesus catches up with these people – two, more than two, male, females, family, friends, strangers. Who knows! But remember it was dangerous to travel in small groups back then because of robbers, etc.
It says later that these people say they knew that there are witnesses to say Jesus has risen and yet in the Bible the encounter starts with
17 Jesus asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast.
Luke 24:17
And then they go on to say that they thought everyone knew about Jesus being crucified and they also recount the witness accounts of him not being in the tomb.
But why if they have been told Jesus has risen are they still “downcast”. That doesn’t make sense to me. I could understand if they were pondering things, thinking it all through, but to still be downcast when they’ve heard Jesus has risen seems a bit odd to me.
But then I got to thinking of all the miserable worried looking Christians I know who don’t appear to believe they can slide into the peace of God via Jesus. As if deep down they don’t really believe all the things they sing and read and hear preached.
I’m leaving this with a question because I could get judgemental and I really don’t want to. But I would love to know why were Cleopas and crew downcast and why are some 21st Century Christians downcast?
I really would love to know because for me, even on those horrid days when I’ve screwed up big time and would just love to hide, to sleep, to not get involved in the world, I still don’t feel downcast. I can still feel that deep joy of knowing the Creator of The Universe loves me uncondtionaly and has my back – whatever that may look like. But maybe to others they can’t see that in me so maybe I do look downcast then?
I was blessed when I “converted” because I had an amazing encounter with Jesus and knew at that moment I was loved even though my life was a mess – and caried on being a mess for a while after! But it was a very powerful God encounter. Perhaps that is what happened with Cleopas and crew and maybe from then onwards they were no longer downcast.
Wonder what happened to them?
Aspirational Adventures 