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The Road to Emmaus
The sun sank on the pink and purple sky
When the disciples walked upon their way
With saddened hearts and many az heavy sigh
To Emmaus where they planned a while to stay.
Events had been too hard for them to bear,
They had abandoned Him on every side,
Their gentle Master, so beyond compare,
Whom the authorities had crucified.
The happenings unfolded very fast,
The Master was by one of them betrayed,
As they stood stupefied and flabbergast,
While soldiers stood against them strong arrayed.
With broken spirits thus they trodded on,
The dusty road that towards Emmaus led,
Now hurrying because the sun would soon be gone,
To reach the hostelry for board and bed.
A stranger on the road drew near to them,
"You seem so sad he spoke please tell me why,"
"Disaster struck us at Jerusalem"
The men replied,- our cause went so awry.
"Our Master, a prophet, great in word and deed
In whom we placed our trust and hopes so high
Was executed in a grim defeat,
God let this happen and we know not why”
Some of our womenfolk though did declare
But who can trust a woman’s fantasy?
They said they saw Him much alive somewhere
But we know well their fond credulity.
While they discussed at length this, suddenly
The stranger smiled and started to explain
And opened up their hearts and minds to see
God’s purpose in their sorrow, grief and pain.
Explained to them it was Messiah’s fate
To suffer much and thereby to redeem
All mankind and to open heaven’s gate,
If they would only put their trust in Him.
They listened silently to what they heard
And stifled tears welled up to overflow,
As He to scripture passages referred
That set their heavy grieving hearts aglow.
At table He took bread into His hands
He blessed it and then gave it unto them,
As the good Master did among His friends
That fateful night up in Jerusalem.
He broke the bread and then distributed
And with their seae perceptiveness increased,
i remembering that Thursday's farewell feast .
They recgnized Him thogh the place was poorly lit
He broke the bread and then distributed
And with their seae perceptiveness increased,
i remembering that Thursday's farewell feast .
They reconized Him thogh the place was poorly lit
Their eyes before restrained were opened wide,
Gone was the film, the blur and strange a mist,
They saw Him with a fuller vision's' sight
Empowered by tye Holy Eucharist.
Their eyes were opened in a flashing beam
And then the stranger vanished from their sight.
They’d recognized the Master,- it was Him!
Indeed their womenfolk had seen aright.
Back to the city hurried now the pair
Uncaring of the chill and deepening night,
With all the shaken brethren now to share
The joyous news at their secluded site.
Tell them the women were indeed so right,-
Proclaim that He was risen from the dead,
The one that rules in glory and with might
Had walked with them and blessed their supper bread.
We also beg you Lord to please abide
When our work is done and we pass on,
When darkness falls and closer draws the night
Stay with us Lord then - leave us not alone!
Luke 24:13-35
(c)Elizabeth Dandy
I, too, love the Emmaus story, and I am amazed at the talent with which you have handled it here. Your talent is awesome!