April 23, 2023 — Easter +2A

Now on that same day [when Jesus had appeared to Mary Magdalene,] tw0 [disciples] were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.” Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. 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?” That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.” Luke 24:13-35

Two people are on their way from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Do you know how far seven miles is? It is about the distance from my house to the Susquehanna river. It is about the distance from the Susquehanna river to Hummelstown. To drive it would take about 20 minutes, depending on traffic. To walk that distance – it might take me hours – too many hours. But this was the distance that two disciples were walking on this day of the resurrection. And on their journey they encountered a stranger.

Who are the strangers in our midst? Who is the stranger? Is it just someone we don’t know? Or, has the stranger expanded to include whole groups of people? I remember watching old cowboy movies, you know, old Clint Eastwood movies and old John Wayne movies. When someone came into town, who was not known, who was not from the “territory”, someone would speak up to say something polite like “Howdy stranger! What brings you into these parts?” In this case, the stranger was a stranger because they weren’t “from around here”, and people generally knew that because everyone knew everyone. We still see that thinking today. From where I come from, you know, Upper Dauphin County, the reality is, if you were not born and raised there, then you are not from here, and so you remain a stranger, an outsider, even if you live here for 40 years. In fact, I don’t know how long you have to live there before they consider you “one of them” – probably never. Once a stranger, always a stranger, it seems – in many parts of our country this is true.

Two disciples of Jesus are walking on the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus, a journey that is about seven miles long – but the reality is that this journey is going to take them to places they never thought it was possible to go. These two are walking and talking – walking and talking – discussing what they had just experienced in Jerusalem. They had, in 72 plus hours, witnessed the trial of their teacher and friend, watched him die a horrible death on the cross, and then heard the news that his body was not in the tomb. And so they had left Jerusalem to go – somewhere – who knows where – but they had to get out of Dodge, so to speak.

And as they are walking along, Jesus appears to them, but he comes to them in the form of a “stranger”. What does that mean? The Greek word used here and interpreted as “stranger” is “Paroikos”. The word “Paroikia” is the English word alien, and is also the root word of the English words “Parish” and “Parochial”. This is important for two reasons. First, according to its etymology, a parish is actually made up of strangers – not necessarily people who don’t know each other, although that is true in many large churches – whereas the smaller church is usually made up of people who know each other, actually are probably related to each other. But another way to look at the “stranger” aspect of being a Christian, is that we are strangers, aliens in this world because we don’t belong here – as Paul says, our “citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). Second, this is important to know the root word “Paroikia” because as a congregation, we have to guard against becoming unwelcoming to the stranger, because when we do, we betray ourselves, and Jesus. Think about it, two disciples are traveling along the road to Emmaus, and Jesus comes to them, appears to them as a “stranger”.

Jesus appears as a stranger to his disciples on this journey, which also reminds us that Jesus will not be bound to one culture, or one region. For example, we don’t have to go to the “Holy lands” to see Jesus. Jesus will appear here, right here today in America, in Hummelstown, in Pennsylvania – but will also appear today in Nebraska, in New Mexico, in Aruba, and in Ecuador. In other words, we cannot claim Jesus just for ourselves – Jesus transcends all time, and places, and people – Jesus is the Christ for all people. What that does tell us then, is this: as the church, we cannot, cannot, cannot be in the business of driving away strangers.

Pastor Dave