Chapter 71: Of the appearance of Christ, in the form of a Stranger, to the two disciples going to Emmaus

I BLESS You, and give thanks to You, O Lord Jesus Christ, Who are the Way, the Truth, and the Life, Who are our Saviour and our Redeemer, for Your gracious appearance in the form of a Stranger to Your two disciples as they journeyed; what time You did take upon Yourself the semblance of an unknown wayfarer, in order that You might bring back to the heavenly Jerusalem Your erring sheep, and by visiting them in Your love might fully instruct them.

How friendly was the manner in which You did join them on the road, as they were mourning over Your Passion, and were conversing not about wars or the petty affairs of this life, but about Your good deeds, Your holy words, and Your miracles. In spite of this, however, they could not but be very sad until the truth was made known to them, because as yet they doubted of Your Resurrection, and were not convinced about the vision of angels and what had been told them by their companions.

And who could better teach them, or better put an end to their doubts, than You, O Jesus, their good Master, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, Who did manifest Yourself to them, and gave them in the breaking of bread a token by which they knew You well? And so it came to pass; for shortly after You had joined them, and had gone a little way with them, You did ask them, as if You had been an unknown stranger, what was the reason of the great sadness which oppressed them, saying: "What are these discourses that you hold one with another as you walk, and are sad?"

I praise You, therefore, and magnify Your Holy Name for the friendliness of Your converse with those two disciples as they journeyed. Sad at heart and perplexed were they about Your Passion and Your condemnation to death: but You did comfort them, and did perfectly instruct them by proofs and warrants of Holy Scripture, in the Law and in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning You.

I praise You, and give thanks to You, O most gracious Lord Jesus, for Your handling, expounding, and making clear and plain those passages of Holy Writ which before were obscure, involved with various metaphors, and understood by few. I bless You, O Crown of the Saints, most Holy Lord Jesus Christ, Teacher of teachers, and Master of all Laws and Decrees, for opening in the days of old the mouths of the prophets, and for now Yourself vouchsafing to reveal the hidden things of the Scriptures to babes and to men who were unlearned, that so You might lead them to believe in You, in all Your words, and in all Your doings. How joyous must have been their countenances as they heard You speaking to them, with what love must their cold hearts have been inflamed as You did unfold to them the meaning of the Word of God; for among lawgivers and interpreters of mysteries there was never one like You! How light to them did You make each hour, how pleasant did You make to them the whole day until eventide, when You went in with them, and they set food before You! How anxious were they that You should stop with them, desiring to listen to You all night, and to learn more and more from You!

And why? Because never upon earth did man discourse so excellently as did that stranger. No prophet, no king, no Priest, no Levite, no son or disciple of the prophets, who worked miracles, or taught the hidden things of God; no saint; not even all the Angelic Choir, can compare with You, O Stranger, as a Teacher. " We pray You, therefore, O Lord, to abide with us. It is towards evening, and the day is far spent; it is too late for You to go farther; speak yet awhile with us; gladly would we hear more from You; we are not tired or drowsy; we long to do as You bid us; for Your words are sweeter than honey and the honeycomb; more precious are they than gold and silver, and nothing that man can wish for is to be compared with them."

Would that I had been there, and could have walked unseen by Jesus' side, or could have followed behind, so as carefully to have noted all the words of my Lord Jesus Christ, to have lovingly treasured in my heart what I heard, so as to have been able to meditate often thereupon to my great profit, and to be put thereby upon my guard against idle talk with men whose company is bad for me.

But, O Lord, what actually in the body is denied me, that I beseech You to grant me spiritually to attain, be it in my cell, or be it in the refectory; be it when I am at leisure, or when I am at my work; whether I am alone or in the company of others; namely to have always before my eyes as being truly present with me, seeing all that I do, walking with me in the way, and inspiring me with many good thoughts. You, Who live, etc. Amen.