HELLO!

Happy Easter! I hope to see you; in the Woodlawn Cemetery at 730 am, and/or in our sanctuary at 10 am and/or at Oakwood Terrace at 230 pm.

At the 10 am service I will be using a 16^th century painting to reveal how Luke’s Gospel story, the Road to Emmas (Luke 24:13-35) still speaks to us. This iconic story happens three days after Jesus was crucified. The disciples are walking on a road to a village called Emmaus about seven miles from Jerusalem. Two Christians are walking and talking. They were in despair and confused as they tried to make sense of what happened to Jesus, after their Hero was arrested, severely beaten, crucified, killed and buried. But their search for understanding only led to more confusion and hopelessness until Jesus literary walked with them and explained the Scriptures. They do not recognize Jesus, he was, in a sense hidden in plain sight. The scripture says, “their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.” There is a deeper truth revealed in Jesus appearing as a stranger, only being recognized in the breaking of the bread and the sacred stories being explained. God often comes to us in Holy Suprises.

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio painted his version and vision of the Road to Emmaus in 1601. The original is in the UK’s National Gallery. Caravaggio’s personal story is an interesting and tumultuous one, reminding us, those who reveal deeper things are not always likeable, pious, saintly or possessing life skills. The stranger on the road (who we know was Jesus) was invited to stay with Cleopas and his fellow traveller. The painting depicts just three verses of the Gospel. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us, while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” This artwork captures a split second in time, an exact moment in the story. It is only at dinner when Christ blesses the bread the disciples recognize him. Remember Christ disappears immediately after he has blessed the bread and they recognize. It is not from his appearance that they recognize him, as he is depicted clean shaven, and the robes that he is wearing are covering any indication of wounds that he suffered during the crucifixion, instead he is recognized from the gesture of him raising his arm to bless the bread.

In this split second to Christ’s left Luke flings his arms out wide. On the left Cleopas pushes himself up from his chair at the sudden recognition they are dining with Christ. Next to Christ is the Innkeeper, unfazed and unaware of the significance of Christ’s gesture. Rather than idealized portraits of the past, Caravaggio has depicted the disciples as they would have been, aged and winkled, with dirty hands. The Innkeeper is unshaven. Cleopas has torn clothes. We are invited to share not only in the revelation, but also in the meal. The empty place at the table is wide enough for us to pull up a chair and join in. Jesus’ outstretched hand extends an invitation to each one of us. When the empty spaces at our tables are filled with strangers who reveal divine connection, are our eyes and hearts open? Do we offer praise for Easter revelation?

Peace, Kevin