ON THE WAY
“With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight.” – Lk. 24:31
A few weeks ago, I was asked to reflect on my journey over the past three to five years of my life. The exercise was a powerful prayer experience that made me contemplate on all the ways the events in my life both small and large have shaped me and led me into a deeper relationship with God. It reminded me that as the disciples on the road to Emmaus, I am not always super aware of God’s guiding presence and sometimes only in hindsight can I see that God was by my side all along, I just have to keep continuing to be on the way.
A few years ago, I was able to go on an Ignatian Pilgrimage with 19 other pilgrims. The conversation between the disciples and Jesus in today’s reading reminds me of the many conversations shared with my fellow pilgrims as we trekked through the Spanish countryside together. As the disciples do in today’s reading, we shared stories about the worries or excitement of the day ranging from trying to find ways to avoid blisters or getting sunburnt to eating a delicious freshly baked croissant from the town bakery. Through the everyday moments of our journey, God was slowly guiding ourselves closer to him.
Today’s reading reminds me of how God walks with us, stands by us in moments of grief, and delights with us in moments of joy. All we have to do is let ourselves be led.
When did you feel the risen Jesus in your life these last few days? What were you doing? What was Jesus doing there?
Jeanalee Obergfell