Word and Sacrament
Jesus resurrection appearance to those travelers on the road to Emmaus has great theological significance. They were met by Jesus, who listened to their discussion concerning the resurrection. The travelers had been unable to understand or even believe some of the things that they had heard. After patiently listening to them, Jesus said:
“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. (Luke 24:25-27)
The travelers wanted to hear more from Jesus and they encouraged Him to continue talking to them:
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 24:28-35)
It is clear that the travelers were seekers of the truth. That is an ingredient that only we can provide. God will do the rest, but He depends on us to seek after Him. Often we may be confused, yet such confusion should lead us to search out the truth. The Apostle Paul explains that we must be open to new revelations concerning Christ:
Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch, as you really are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5:7-8)
Jesus did not fully reveal who He was until the breaking of the bread. This was the first service of Holy Communion after Jesus was raised from the dead. When Jesus broke the bread, which symbolized the breaking of His body upon the cross, the eyes of the travelers to Emmaus were opened. That is when they could say: “The Lord has risen indeed.”
We cannot overstate the importance of Communion in our Christian lives. From what Jesus has said, Communion is not optional.
Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. (John 6:53-57)
Word or Sacrament – which one is significant? The answer is both. The worship of the Church is about Word and Sacrament – preaching and the Holy Communion. The travelers on the road to Emmaus were intrigued and inspired by the teaching of Jesus along the way. They gained a more complete understanding of who Jesus was, and is, by their participation in the service of Holy Communion.
Jesus is risen. He still speaks to us today through his word. He is also alive and his real presence is active within the bread and wine of Holy Communion. Let us embrace all of Jesus.
Alleluia! The Lord is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Preaching the Lectionary 
Reblogged this on The Unauthorized People Like Holly Siget.
This is so true. Christians feed and grow strong on a variety of spiritual nutrients and all are useful for spiritual growth.