Walking the trails along the North Shore is a joy in any season. Sharing those walks with others, I find, only adds to the enjoyment, as each person notices different things along the way.
My husband and I recently took a hike to the Caribou Falls along the Cook/Lake county line. We were curious to see how much ice was still present. We found the falls to be encrusted with a spectacular layer of ice, many stories high. A window-sized opening through the ice gave us a glimpse of the water running behind it. We also observed other sights along the trail that day: interesting footprints in the snow, lovely views through the birch, an unusual black and white duck on the water below the falls. Of course there were, no doubt, many details we missed. We could have benefited from the presence of a trained naturalist to point out what we overlooked and to teach us about the identities and characteristics of the plants and animals along the way.
Just as we need expertise to understand the patterns of the natural world, so it is that we need help to understand the spiritual realities of life. This is evident in one of the more poignant biblical stories of the Easter season. Found in the 24th chapter of Luke, it is the story of two of Jesus’ followers who were walking from Jerusalem to the town of Emmaus on the Sunday after Jesus’ death. These two were grieving the loss of their dear friend Jesus.
As they walked, they talked earnestly about the shocking events of the past days: Jesus’ arrest on Thursday night, the illegal trials that led to his sentencing on Friday morning, Jesus’ death on Friday afternoon and his burial that evening.
In the midst of their conversation, another traveler falls into step with them. Unbeknownst to them, it was the risen Jesus himself, though they did not recognize him. When he asked about the subject of their conversation, they told him they spoke “about Jesus of Nazareth.” One can almost hear their deep disappointment as they say, “We had hoped that he was the one who was going to set Israel free….”
In response, Jesus began to explain the Scriptures to them, interpreting the words of the Old Testament prophets as they related to his own life, death and resurrection. Later they would recall how they were stirred by Jesus’ words, even though they didn’t recognize who was speaking to them at the time.
When they arrived at their destination, the two disciples invited Jesus to stay with them. As they ate a meal together, Jesus took the bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to them. At that moment, whether from the familiarity of his actions or by some other means, they finally recognized Jesus! Their eyes were opened! Overjoyed that Jesus was truly alive, they immediately returned to their friends in Jerusalem to tell of their encounter with Jesus.
Like an untrained hiker who fails to notice or understand what he or she sees or experiences in the woods, these two disciples were unaware of the meaning of Jesus’ suffering and death. They needed someone with expertise to make sense of these events in light of God’s purposes. Jesus not only opened their hearts to the Scriptures, but he opened their eyes to see who he really was.
I find that, on my own, I’m often as perplexed and shortsighted as those two disciples. Faced with the complexities of life, I too am in need of help to understand the realities of God’s work in the world. I need an encounter with Jesus! It is in that encounter with the risen Jesus that a person’s eyes are opened and he or she is rescued from confusion and despair. Yes, some questions remain, but hope is restored when we encounter Jesus!
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Each month the clergy of the Cook County Ministerium offer spiritual reflections. This week’s contributor is Pastor Deborah Lunde of Zoar Lutheran Church in Tofte.
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