Easter Monday
The travelers to Emmaus meet the risen one without recognizing him.
Bibelsk grunnlag
Two disciples travel from Jerusalem to Emmaus, downcast after the crucifixion (Luke 24:13-35). Jesus joins them, but they do not recognize him. He explains the Scriptures and shows how everything in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Writings points to him. At the evening meal, he breaks bread—then their eyes are opened, and he vanishes from sight. "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?" They hurry back to Jerusalem and tell the others.
Betydning
The Emmaus story shows that the risen one meets people in the midst of daily life—on the road, in conversation, in the breaking of bread. Recognition comes through Scripture and the Lord's Supper, not through visions. The heart burns before the eyes are opened—faith begins from within. The disciples' turn from flight to return is an image of repentance.
GT-forbindelser
Jesus explains "all that was written about him in Moses and all the Prophets"—the Old Testament as a whole points to Christ. Isaiah 53 concerning the suffering servant. Psalm 16:10: "You will not abandon my soul to Sheol." Moses and the Prophets as witnesses to the Messiah's suffering and glory.
Liturgisk kontekst
White color. Public holiday in many countries. The Emmaus Gospel is traditionally read on this day. The connection between Scripture and the Lord's Supper makes the text liturgically significant.
Historie
The Emmaus story has been linked to Easter Monday in the Western Church since the early Middle Ages. It has inspired pilgrimages and the tradition of walking to Emmaus in several countries, where the congregation walks to a nearby chapel.