One of the great French scripture scholars, Xavier Leon Dufour, wrote a book on the accounts of  Jesus’ Resurrection in the four gospels which he began by recalling how he first understood the Resurrection as a child from the stained glass window in his parish church.

Jesus was pictured in shining light coming out of the tomb,  the soldiers with hands up high in fear at the sight. It’s a common portrayal found in many of our churches.

Dufour writes of his surprise that this picture can’t be found anywhere in the gospels. The gospel accounts of the appearances of the Risen Christ are much more complex, which is one reason we read them all through Easter week, the “Long Day” of Easter.

In today’s reading,  the two Emmaus disciples returning to Jerusalem are greeted with cries, “he is risen, he had appeared to Simon.” Then they report how he appeared to them on the road, how he opened the scriptures and how they recognized him in the breaking of bread.

Then Jesus appeared to them. Luke says his appearance causes them “fear and panic”; they think he is a ghost. His appearance seems to be different than that of Lazarus who, when raised from the dead, was the same as before. The Risen Jesus is different. He doesn’t come back from the dead the same as Lazarus did. 

To assure them who is is, Jesus tells them to touch him, to eat with him. Only after he assures them does Jesus recall the scriptures that speak of a Messiah who dies and is raised from the dead. He tells them a message of forgiveness is to be preached in his name. They are witnesses of him. They’re to wait in the city for power from on high to come upon them: “The promise of the Father.”

Then Jesus takes them out to Bethany and ascends into heaven.  This all happens on Easter Sunday, according to Luke’s gospel. He ends his gospel there. After that he begins the second part, Acts of the Apostles, the story of the coming of the Spirit and the spread of the message of Jesus through his. church.

Luke’s gospel would have us recognize the Risen Jesus– we who are on the way —-   especially in the scriptures and the breaking of the bread.