The
Evangelists do not state when the Lord appeared to saint Peter, although Saint
Luke supposes it; but it was after He had appeared to the women. He appeared to
him in private as the head of the Church and before He appeared to all of the
Apostles together or to anyone of them.
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| Jesus appearing to saint Peter |
This happened on that same day, after
the holy women had informed him of his apparition to them. Soon after also
happened the apparition of the Lord to the two disciples going that afternoon to
Emmaus, which is related minutely by saint Luke (Luke 24, 13). This town is
sixty stadia from Jerusalem; four Palestinian miles and about two Spanish
leagues. The one of them was called Cleophas and the other was saint Luke
himself. It took place in the following manner:
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| The two disciples Cleophas and saint Luke on their way to Emmaus |
The two disciples left
Jerusalem, after they had heard the reports of the women. On the way they
continued to converse about the events of the Passion, the holiness of their
Master and the cruelty of the Jews. They wondered that the Almighty should
permit so holy and innocent a Man to suffer such wrongs and torments. The one
said: “When was ever such meekness and
gentleness seen?” and the other coincided, saying: “Who ever saw or heard of such patience, without a word of complaint or
the least sign of perturbation in outward appearance or bearing? His doctrine
was holy, his life blameless, his words those of etemal life, his doings for
the welfare of all. What then could the priests see in him to warrant such
hatred ?” The other answered: “Truly
He was wonderful in all respects; and no one can deny, that He was a great
Prophet; He performed many miracles, gave sight to the blind, health to the
sick, life to the dead, and conferred wonderful benefits upon all. But He said
He would rise on the third day after his Death, which is today, and this we do
not see fulfilled.” The other one replied: “He also said that He would be crucified, and it was fulfilled to the
word” (Matth. 20, 19).
In
the midst of this and similar conversation Jesus appeared to them in the habit
of a pilgrim and as one who happened to meet them on the way.
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| Jesus appears in their midst |
He saluted them
and said: “Of what do you speak, for it
seems to Me you are sad?” Cleophas answered: “Art Thou the only stranger in Jerusalem, that Thou dost not know what
has happened during these days in the city?” The Lord said: “What has happened, then?” to which the
disciple replied: “Dost thou not know
what the princes and priests have done to Jesus of Nazareth, a Man holy and
powerful in words and deeds; how they condemned and crucified him? We had hopes
that He would redeem Israel by rising from the dead; now the third day has
already come, and we do not know what has happened. And some of the women of
our party have terrified us, since they went early this morning to the
sepulchre and did not find the body. They maintain that they saw some angels
who told them that He had risen. Then some of our associates went to the grave
and found true, what the women had said. We are going to Emmaus in order to
await the drift of these events.” Then the Lord answered: “0 foolish and slow of heart to believe;
since you do not understand, that it must be so, that Christ suffers all these
pains and so frightful a death in order to enter into his glory!”
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| The two disciples listen to his explanation |
Following
up these mysteries the divine Master then explained to them his life and death
for the Redemption of the human race; He interpreted to them different types of
holy Scripture: of the lamb which Moses commanded to be slain and eaten, after
the thresholds should have been marked with its blood (Exod. 12, 7) ; the death
of the highpriest Aaron (Numb. 20, 23), the death of Samson through the amours
of his spouse Delila (Judges 16, 30), many psalms of David pointing out the
wicked council, the crucifixion and the division of his garments (Ps. 21, 17,
19; 15, 10), and that his body shall not see corruption; what is said in Wisdom
(Wisdom 2, 20) and more clearly in Isaias (Is. 53, 2) and Jeremias (11, 19)
concerning his Passion; namely, that He should appear as a leper and a man of
sorrows, that He should be borne to slaughter like a lamb without opening his
mouth; and in Zacharias, who saw Him pierced with many wounds; and many other
passages of the holy Prophets, which clearly manifest the mysteries of his life
and death. By the fervours of these arguments the disciples were gradually
enkindled with love and enlightened in the faith, which they had permitted to
be obscured. And when they were already near to the castle of Emmaus, the
divine Master gave them to understand, that He was to pass on in his journey;
but they eagerly begged Him to stay with them, as it was getting late in the
evening.
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| They beg Him to pass the night with them |
The Lord yielded and, invited by the disciples, sat down to supper
with them according to the manner of the Jews. The Lord took the bread,
blessing it and breaking it as usual, He imparted to them, with it, the
certainty that He was their Redeemer and Master.
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| They recognize Him at the breaking of the bread |
They
knew Him, because He opened the eyes of their souls. In the same instant He
disappeared from their bodily eyes and they saw Him no more. But they were left
in a state of wonder and full of joy, conferring with each other about the ardours
of charity they had felt on the way, when He had conversed with them and
explained to them the Scriptures. Without delay they returned to Jerusalem
(Luke 24, 33), although night had already set in.
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| Without delay they returned to Jerusalem that night |
They went to the house, where
the rest of the Apostles had secreted themselves for fear of the Jews and they
found them discussing the news of the risen Saviour and how He had already appeared
to Peter. To this the two disciples added all that had happened to them on the
way to Emmaus, and how they had recognized the Saviour at the breaking of the
bread in the castle of Emmaus.
