God gives grace to the humble and opens their eyes

Every once in a while, God gives us grace to see things clearly. One example in the Gospel is the experience of two men — Cleopas and his friend, who were on the road to Emmaus when Jesus appeared to them. St Luke narrates the episode, explaining that they did not recognise Jesus while he was explaining the texts of the prophets (24:27).

Clarity finally comes at the end of the journey when Jesus sits down with them and breaks bread. Suddenly, they recognise him. They express their amazement, saying: “Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?”

We will also have our moment of grace, our moment of clarity. However, it is important to keep one thing in mind. Our moments of clarity require context. Before Jesus could explain anything to Cleopas and his friend on the day of his resurrection, the two men were going about their daily lives looking forward to a purely earthly goal—as happens to us all the time.

MUNDANE EXPECTATIONS

You get a feel for their limited outlook on life and mundane expectations when they say (24:21): “Our own hope had been that Jesus would be the one to set Israel free. The moment of clarity requires context. For example, when Jesus tells Simon the Fisherman, “From now on you will be a fisher of men,” that was a moment of clarity.

It was so clear to Simon that he left his boat and nets behind to follow Jesus. What made clarity possible? Before Simon could have his name changed, before he could spread the Gospel to the whole world, he had to be a fisherman catching fish in a lake in Galilee.

Our moments of clarity require context. Some are blinded by the monotony typical of context. Clarity does not require great intelligence. History is peppered with sad stories of talented men and women who ignored their moment of clarity.

MONOTONY

The 20th century is especially replete with tales of atheists who thought they knew it all and really were blinded by the monotony of context. Instead of recognising the world for what it is—accepting the fact that this world is the context for a call from God to seek something greater than this world—they concluded that this world is all there is.

 It’s the simple souls—like Simon the Fisherman, the shepherds in Bethlehem or the Good Thief—who appreciate their moment of clarity and cling to it. Never forget: “God rejects the proud and gives his grace to the humble.”