Jesus meets us where we are and as we are

W

hat human condition does Jesus encounter on the road to Emmaus? He meets men who are disappointed, confused, and divided within themselves. They had hoped, but now they walk away from Jerusalem with heavy hearts. Their condition is beautifully described in the 1967 encyclical Gaudium et Spes and later quoted in the Catechism: “Man is divided in himself.” Human life often becomes a struggle between good and evil, light and darkness.

Jesus knows how difficult we can be to satisfy, how stubborn we are in our freedom, and how quickly we search for reasons not to respond. Yet faced with such resistance, Jesus does not begin with argument. He does not overpower them with proofs. He chooses accompaniment first. He chooses to love first.

This reminds me of the story of Sleeping Beauty. Princess Aurora falls into a deep sleep, and with her the whole kingdom sleeps. Time stands still. No one inside the castle can awaken her. Only the coming of the prince, bearing true love, can break the spell.

So too with us. There are moments when the soul falls asleep—through grief, sin, disappointment, or loss of hope. We cannot always awaken ourselves. Advice alone cannot wake us. Arguments cannot wake us. Only love can.

That is what Jesus does at Emmaus. He comes gently, patiently, lovingly. He walks beside the disciples before He reveals Himself. He listens to their sorrow. He lets them speak their confusion. He explains the Scriptures. Then, in the breaking of the bread, their eyes are opened. Recognition dawns. Their hearts, once cold, begin to burn again.

This is how the Lord works with us still. Before He answers our prayers, He first gives Himself to the pray-ers. Before solutions, He gives presence. Before correction, companionship. Before mission, communion.

The first companions of Ignatius of Loyola understood this. Before they had a formal name, they lived first as companions of Jesus. Only later did they call themselves the Society of Jesus—because they had already experienced that Christ Himself was their head and companion.

Many people turn away from repentance because they imagine only judgment. Others cannot rejoice when the lost are found because they see with eyes of condemnation. We fail to see as God sees.

But the Emmaus Gospel tells us otherwise: the risen Christ comes not first as judge, but as companion. He meets us where we are and as we are—so that He may lead us to where we are meant to be. Amen. Fr JM Manzano SJ