it had been a bad week
seemed as if he wanted trouble
saying what he said, doing as he did
he knew how to push all their buttons
challenging their authority, their rules
putting them on the spot, no evasions
never backing off despite their anger
it was no surprise he was arrested
mock trial, ******* up charges
guilty verdict, a cross and death
we'd tagged him as the Messiah
but now he's dead, buried, gone
well there was some crazy story
the Marys said they'd seen him alive
but who'd believe that, as I said, crazy

that's what we told him
when he fell in step along the way
travelling with us to Emmaus
listened to all we'd had to say
then started unpicking our story
for everything we'd mentioned
had an explanation, gave a reason
why it had to happen that way
what was really going on
how it fitted into God's plan
explained it from the scriptures
like he was giving us a lesson
Jesus 1.01, the real story

near Emmaus it started getting dark
he was going on but we'd a room, food
so we invited him in, things may change
but hospitality's still usual, our norm
as a guest, we asked for his blessing
so he blessed and broke the bread
did the same for the wine, shared it
and suddenly we recognised him
as if our grief had made us blind
how could we have missed it
like that last supper once again
it was Jesus, and he is alive
chance meeting, no chance

couldn't leave it there
hot-footed it back to Jerusalem
had to tell the others, the disciples
said our piece in the upper room
but it was all a bit redundant
we'd no sooner told our tale
than he turned up there too
living, breathing, wonderfully alive
yet despite all that he'd said
its hard not to have questions
all kinds of puzzlements
and whose going to answer them


Wednesday of Easter Week
23rd April 2025
following Luke 24.13-35