Supper at Emmaus by Caravaggio, 1601
Then he [Jesus] said to them, "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.From Rmj in the comments to my Noli Me Tangere post below:
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?"
Luke 24:25-32
We used to have wonderful discussions in seminary about Jesus after the resurrection. Did he have a body, or not? All the Gospel witnesses are intentional[ly] inconclusive. In Luke, he appears to the disciples, but is only recognized in the breaking of the bread, then he vanishes. In John, he walks through walls and closed doors, but has wounds that can be touched, and eats fish with Peter (to prove he's not a ghost).Indeed it is! Assuming Jesus had a body of some sort, I wonder what it would have been like to be among the disciples on the road to Emmaus with Jesus and hear him explain the Scriptures. What would it have been like to break bread with Jesus that night? Although they did not know him as they walked with him, there was something about him that made them want to remain in his presence. I put myself in their company.
Fascinating stuff. Ambiguity is the very warp and woof of life!
Come And Eat With MeFrom Luke 24:25-32
Will you come and eat with me?
You can stay the night.
Stay just a while and have a meal.
As we break our bread, we'll talk.
Stay with me; rest a while.
Here, take your bread.
Wait! Who are you?
You are Jesus, the one who died!
You are dead, but here you are alive,
Here you break bread with me.
You made me come alive,
As you spoke to me of the prophets.
You set my heart on fire when you told me
How you had to suffer and to die.
What! You're gone? Just like that?
June Butler - 4/9/07
That's very nice, Grandmère Mimi.
ReplyDeletefs
Grandmère Mimi, thank you for posting this painting sans MP's squirts and bunnies. :)
ReplyDeleteWhen I think about it, it must be the fact that I minored in art history that led me to my interest in Christianity. One can't help but absorb it through all the Caravaggios and Michelangelo's and Rembrandts.
A very moving post.
FS and PJ, I posted my little poetic offering in fear and trembling. I cannot judge my own writing; I can't tell if it's decent or if it's crap. I can distinguish the good from the awful in the writing of others, but not my own.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind words.
Wait, you wrote that poem?
ReplyDeleteI was wondering why no author was given.
That's excellent work! Truly! Excellent.
I am deeply impressed. And moved.
Robert, thank you.
ReplyDeletehow did you photoshop the rabbit out of the picture?
ReplyDeleteDennis, Dennis, Dennis. What will I do with you? I see that you're in cahoots with the mad one.
ReplyDeletenice pic im usin it for my art project. i hate art
ReplyDelete