3rd Sunday of Easter – A
We have all heard the phrase: “Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk.”
For example, “talk the talk” can mean that the person knows what he is talking about and speaks fluently and convincingly about the topic. It may also mean that words are not followed by actions and that the person does not practice what he/she preaches.
“Walk the walk” means that actions speak louder than words, and that what is said is also done.
So if a person talks the talk and walks the walk, then he is a man of his word and deserves respect for putting action into words. But it can be said that there are many who like to talk the talk, yet not that many who will walk the walk.
In the gospel we read of two of the disciples of Jesus who are walking to a village called Emmaus, a short distance from Jerusalem. As they walked, they also talked about all that had happened in the past few days. But they were not “walking the walk”, rather they were walking away from it all.
As Jesus came up and walked by their side, they did not recognize Him. As Jesus asked them what they were discussing, they stopped, “their faces downcast.” Yes, they were walking away from it all. They had hoped that Jesus would be the one they had waited for, but they saw Him being sentenced to death and crucified.
And then they heard news that He was alive. But since then, He has not been seen. The disappointment, followed by confusion, it was all just too much for them and so they decided to walk away from it all and to talk no more about it.
So, for the two disciples it was off to Emmaus, for perhaps a little break, and then back to the world that they came from.
It was on that road to Emmaus that Jesus showed the disciples how to “walk the walk” and “talk the talk.” Jesus came to seek and to save the lost and He came up to the two disciples to walk with them in their disappointment and misery.
He “talked the talk” as He explained to them the scriptures that pointed to Himself. As they listened, the gloom of sadness and misery was lifted as their hearts began to burn with hope. Finally, at the breaking of bread, during the meal, Jesus opened their eyes to reveal Himself to them.
And then, burning with Hope, they moved from walking away from it all, to running back to tell the Good News that Jesus was alive.
Yes, Jesus is risen! He is alive, He wants to walk with us, and He wants to talk with us. Jesus wants to accompany us through our periods of pain and frustration, anxiety, fear and illness to a period of peace and calm, joy and hope. Jesus wants to walk and talk with us to remove the fear and anxiety we are experiencing.
There may be areas in our lives that we are thinking of walking away from – the stressful job, the quarrelsome families, the stale marriage, the fear of not being successful, health issues and loss. We may also want to walk away from our financial difficulties, our troublesome relationships, our headaches and our heartaches.
But Jesus comes to walk with us, and He wants to talk with us. Let us not be downcast, let us not be fearful, let us not walk away from those areas of our lives that cause us fear, anxiety and disappointment; but let us run with Hope for a better tomorrow, (pause) knowing that Jesus is right beside us.