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Chapter 91MedVC.1.91

Quod Dominus apparuit duobus discipulis euntibus Emmaus

The Lord Walks with the Grieving

Christ joins two sorrowful disciples on the road to Emmaus, revealing his love, friendship, and the sweetness of God's word as a remedy for spiritual desolation.

When two of his disciples were making their way toward the village of Emmaus, having nearly lost hope in him, and were walking in sorrow, talking over the things that had happened, the Lord Jesus came and joined himself to them in the appearance of a stranger, and walked with them, asking them questions, and answering, and offering wholesome words, as you have in the Gospel.✦ At last, pressed by them, he went in with them and revealed himself to them.✦ Here, then, pay careful attention and consider the goodness and kindness of your Lord. First, because his burning love could not bear to have his own wander in sadness like this. Truly he is a faithful friend, a faithful companion, and a kind Lord. He joins himself to them, seeks out the cause of their sorrow, and explains the Scriptures to them, setting their hearts ablaze to root out every trace of rust.✦ This is what he does with us spiritually, day by day. For if we are weighed down by some anxiety or by acedia and speak of it, he is at once present, strengthening and illuminating our hearts, and even setting them on fire with love of himself. Indeed, the best remedy against such plagues is to speak of God. Hence the prophet says: 'How sweet are your words to my palate, Lord, more than honey and the honeycomb to my mouth!'

The Fire of Humility

The meditation turns to Christ's profound humility in walking with lesser disciples, warning the proud and calling all to imitate his lowliness.

And again: "Your utterance is vehemently fiery, and your servant has loved it." In the same way, thinking about God — whence the same prophet says: "My heart has grown warm within me, and in my meditation fire will blaze up."✦ Second, consider his goodness — not only from love, as I have said, but also from profound humility. Look closely at him, how humbly he goes with them — the Lord of all goes with his own, as if he were one of them. Doesn't it seem to you that he has returned to the very beginnings of humility? He is an example for us to do likewise. But also in another respect, attend to the Lord's humility: he has not disdained these disciples of lower rank. For these were not from among the apostles, but from the lesser disciples; and yet he joins himself to them familiarly, goes with them, and speaks with them. Let the proud not be carried away like this; for they would not wish to associate except with leading men —

Fragments on Pride and Obscurity

Uncertain textual fragments continue the theme of humility, contrasting Christ's openness with the self-importance of the exalted.

…of water-springs and of wealth, to associate together and to walk. Likewise, in this 'aho' his own humility shines out here. For if you consider the exalted, you will see that they do not wish to scatter their bombastic words among a small number. But Do3/5". 18:11.✦ —Psalm. 118:140. —Psalm.

Christ Revealed in the Breaking of Bread

Christ instructs, comforts, and reveals himself to the disciples at table, teaching the reader to desire, pray, and practice hospitality until he comes again.

Thirty-eight: he shares his secrets with even fewer than two; he doesn't look down on a few, or even on just one, just as he once did with the Samaritan woman.✦ Third, consider the Lord's goodness, as far as the present matter goes: how he instructs his disciples in their own ways, restores, and comforts them. You should watch him, therefore: how he pretends to be going farther, so that he might stir up their desire, and be invited and held back by them; and how afterward he kindly comes in with them, takes bread, and blessing it with his most sacred hands, breaks and offers it, and reveals himself to them.✦ And he does this with us every day, invisibly: for he wants to be held and invited through our desires, prayers, and holy meditations. And so it is always necessary to pray and not to give up, as he himself taught — look at how he did these things for our instruction — so that, namely, we might attend to works of piety and hospitality. And how it is not enough to read or hear divine words unless they are fulfilled by action — you can be taught more fully about this in Gregory's Homily on this Gospel passage. He did not, however, give those disciples a great abundance of himself; but as soon as the bread had been offered to them, he vanished from their sight.✦ For he also wanted to comfort others, whom he had nevertheless already comforted.

Read the original Latin

Cum ergo * duo ex discipulis ejus irent versus castellum Emmaus, quasi jam desperati de ipso, et irent tristes, de his quae acciderant conferentes; venit Dominus Jesus, et junxit se ipsis in specie peregrini, et ibat cum ipsis interrogans eos, et respondens, et conferens verba salubria, ut in Evangelio habes. Tandem coactus ab eis, intravit cum illis et manifestavit se ipsis. Hic autem diligenter attende, et considera bonitatem et benignitatem Domini tui. Primo, quia non potuit ejus fervens amor sustinere suos sic errare et tristari. Vere fidus amicus est, fidelis comes, et benignus Dominus jungit se ipsis, quaerit tristitiae causam, et exponit eis Scripturas, inflammans corda eorum, ad omnem rubiginem extirpandam. Sic quotidie nobiscum facit spiritualiter. Si enim gravati aliqua perplexitate vel acedia de ipso loquimur, statim adest confortans et illuminans corda nostra, et etiam inflammans in amorem sui; optimum enim est contra tales pestes, loqui de Deo. Unde dicit Prophcta ^: Quam dulcia faucibus meis eloquia tua, Domine, super mel ^ et favum ori meo!

Et iterum *: Ignitum eloquium tuum vehementer, et servus tuus dilexit illud. Similiter etiam cogitare de Deo; unde idem Propheta ^: Concaluit cor meum intra me, et in meditatione mea exardescet ignis. Secundo considera bonitatem ejus, non solum ex amore, ut dixi, sed etiara ex humilitate profunda. Conspice namque ipsum, quomodo humiliter vadit cum eis; vadit namque cum suis, quasi unus ex eis, Dominus omnium: nonne tibi videtur ad primordia humiUtatis rediisse? Exemplum nobis est simihter faciendi. Sed et in aho attende Domini humihtatem, quia non est dedignatus hos discipulos inferioris gradus. Non enim erant isti de apostohs, sed de aUis minoribus discipuhs; et tamen famihariter jungit se ipsis^ vadit et loquilur. Non Eiato sic elati; nollent enim, niai cum preecipuis viris ruin con- g^.

rQaguarum opum, conversari et ambulare. Item in aho relucet hic sua humihtas. Nam si considerans elatos, videbis quod nolunt ampullosa verba sua spargere inter paucos. Sed Do3/^5"/. xviii, 11. — " Psa/. cxviii, 140. — ^Psa/.

XXXVIII, minus etiam cum duobus loquitur arcana sua; non vihpendit paucos, imo nec eham unum, sicut fecit ohm cum Samaritana. Tertio considera Domini bonitatem, quantum ad praesens negotium, quomodo instruit discipulos suosinmoribus, reficit et consolatur. Conspicias ergo eum, quomodo fingit se longius ire,ut eorumaugeatdesiderium,etinvitetur, etteneatur ab eis: et quomodo postea benigne intrat cum eis, panem accipit, et benedicens suis sacratissimis manibus frangit et porrigit, et seipsum eis revelat. Et quotidie hoc facit nobiscum invisibihter: nam teneri vult et invitari per desideria, orationes et sanctas meditationes. Et ideo ® semper orare oportet, et non deflcere, ut ipse docuit, quahter ista fecit ad nostram eruditionem, ut scihcet attendamus ad opera pietatis et hospitahtatis. Et quomodo non sufficit divina eloquia legere vel audire, nisi opere compleantur, de hoc in Homiha Gregorii super hoc Evangeho poteris plenius edoceri. Non autem dedit istis discipuhs magnam sui copiam; sed statim porrecto eis pane, evanuit ab ocuhs eorum. Nam eham ahos consolari volebat, cum quibus tamen eUam istos est consolatus

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Luke.24.13-Luke.24.32 — And behold, two of them on that same day were going to a village sixty stadia from Jerusalem, called Emmaus. Luke.24.14 — And they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. Luke.24.15 — And it came to pass, while they were talking and questioning together, that Jesus himself drew near and went with them. Luke.24.16 — But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. Luke.24.17 — And he said to them, "What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you walk?" And they stood still, looking sad. Luke.24.18 — Then one of them, Cleopas by name, answered him, "Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?" Luke.24.19 — And he said to them, "What things?" And they said to him, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a man, a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people." Luke.24.20 — how our chief priests and rulers handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. Luke.24.21 — But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. But even besides all this, today is the third day since these things took place. Luke.24.22 — But also, certain women from among us amazed us; they went to the tomb early in the morning, Luke.24.23 — and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that he is alive. Luke.24.24 — And some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see. Luke.24.25 — And he said to them, 'O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!' Luke.24.26 — Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into his glory? Luke.24.27 — And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. Luke.24.28 — And they drew near to the village to which they were going, and he made as though he would go farther. Luke.24.29 — And they urged him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent." And he went in to stay with them. Luke.24.30 — And it came to pass, when he was at table with them, he took the bread, blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to them. Luke.24.31 — And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. Luke.24.32 — They said to one another, "Was not our heart burning within us while he spoke to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?"
  2. ↩Luke.24.28-Luke.24.31 — And they drew near to the village to which they were going, and he made as though he would go farther. Luke.24.29 — And they urged him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent." And he went in to stay with them. Luke.24.30 — And it came to pass, when he was at table with them, he took the bread, blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to them. Luke.24.31 — And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight.
  3. ↩Luke.24.27 — And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
  4. ↩Ps.38.4 — There is no soundness in my flesh because of your wrath; there is no peace in my bones because of my sin.
  5. ↩Ps.18.11 — He rode on a cherub and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind.
  6. ↩John.4.4-John.4.26 — And it was necessary for him to pass through Samaria. John.4.5 — So he came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the piece of land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. John.4.6 — Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus, wearied from the journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. John.4.7 — A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." John.4.8 — For his disciples had gone into the city to buy food. John.4.9 — The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) John.4.10 — Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." John.4.11 — The woman said to him, "Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where then do you get that living water?" John.4.12 — Surely you are not greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, and his sons, and his livestock? John.4.13 — Jesus answered her, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again." John.4.14 — but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst forever; rather, the water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life John.4.15 — The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I will not thirst, and not come here to draw." John.4.16 — He said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here." John.4.17 — The woman answered and said to him, 'I have no husband.' Jesus said to her, 'You said well, "I have no husband."' John.4.18 — You have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. This you have spoken truly. John.4.19 — The woman said to him, 'Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.' John.4.20 — Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship. John.4.21 — Jesus said to her, "Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father." John.4.22 — You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, because salvation is from the Jews. John.4.23 — But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. For the Father seeks such as these to worship him. John.4.24 — God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. John.4.25 — The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (the one called Christ). When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us." John.4.26 — "I am," Jesus said to her, "the one speaking to you."
  7. ↩Luke.24.13-Luke.24.35 — And behold, two of them on that same day were going to a village sixty stadia from Jerusalem, called Emmaus. Luke.24.14 — And they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. Luke.24.15 — And it came to pass, while they were talking and questioning together, that Jesus himself drew near and went with them. Luke.24.16 — But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. Luke.24.17 — And he said to them, "What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you walk?" And they stood still, looking sad. Luke.24.18 — Then one of them, Cleopas by name, answered him, "Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?" Luke.24.19 — And he said to them, "What things?" And they said to him, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a man, a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people." Luke.24.20 — how our chief priests and rulers handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. Luke.24.21 — But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. But even besides all this, today is the third day since these things took place. Luke.24.22 — But also, certain women from among us amazed us; they went to the tomb early in the morning, Luke.24.23 — and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that he is alive. Luke.24.24 — And some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see. Luke.24.25 — And he said to them, 'O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!' Luke.24.26 — Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into his glory? Luke.24.27 — And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. Luke.24.28 — And they drew near to the village to which they were going, and he made as though he would go farther. Luke.24.29 — And they urged him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent." And he went in to stay with them. Luke.24.30 — And it came to pass, when he was at table with them, he took the bread, blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to them. Luke.24.31 — And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. Luke.24.32 — They said to one another, "Was not our heart burning within us while he spoke to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?" Luke.24.33 — And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, Luke.24.34 — The Lord has truly been raised, and he appeared to Simon. Luke.24.35 — Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
  8. ↩Luke.24.30-Luke.24.31 — And it came to pass, when he was at table with them, he took the bread, blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to them. Luke.24.31 — And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight.

Meditationes Vitae Christi (Pseudo-Bonaventure), Castilian court context companion

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