Open Our Eyes, Lord

Bob Guffey
Sep 20
2 min read

Every now and then, I feel a kinship to Cleopas, the disciple who walked with Jesus on the road to Emmaus on the first Easter morning. I know too well how he must have felt by the end of that day. Discouraged and in grief, he and an unnamed disciple walked the road together, preoccupied with the terrible events they had seen unfold, too discouraged and self-absorbed to see the Living Lord walking next to them.

That is me way too often. The Living Lord walks next to me, sits next to me, prays with me, carries my burdens for me and I am too self-absorbed or self-analytical to see the Lord Jesus is there.

With Cleopas and his companion, the Lord Jesus is the wise teacher and rabbi we knew him to be before his glorification at the cross. He doesn’t force himself on them, but asks questions, and answers their questions with questions, until the disciples have revealed their frustration and sadness. Now they are ready to hear what the Lord has to say.

To my occasional frustration, I find the Lord Jesus treats me in the same way. Though I would prefer he rush in and set things right, that he would intrude with healing care and righteousness, Jesus waits on me to invite him in, patiently waits on me to open my life to his will and, when I am ready, he comes.

Luke tells us the three of them came to Emmaus where, in a Eucharistic moment, they “saw” Jesus “in the breaking of the bread.” Vision brings mission and the two immediately returned to Jerusalem to tell the Eleven that the rumor of his resurrection was no rumor at all but true. In seeing Jesus, how they imagined their world and their place in it radically changed. Mourners no more, they have reason to marvel and celebrate.

Seeing Jesus changes us, too. Seeing Jesus, we must respond to him in some way. We accept and marvel that he accepts us; we walk away pretending the look in His eyes is not for us.

Seeing Jesus changes us, for in seeing Jesus, I believe, we are called, not only to see him near to us, but to see the world as he sees the world. When we do, vision brings mission and we are off to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and “the ends of the earth,” carried along by Jesus and carrying him within us to others who walk roads of sadness, isolation and grief, downcast in spirit, body, mind and will.

Seeing Jesus changes everything.

Grace and peace,

Bob Guffey

(A Prayer for Vision)

O LORD, “open our eyes …we want to see Jesus,

To reach out and touch Him.”

Open the eyes of the world, O LORD,

the eyes of hate, anger and war

the eyes of betrayal, abuse and pain

the eyes of suffering

the eyes blind with pleasure, ego and ambition

the eyes full of self, judging and projected critique.