Familiar story. Two travelers. Friends? Brothers? Husband and wife? We have no idea. Just Cleopas and whomever. Perhaps the reason one remains unidentified is to allow us to insert our own name into the story. Cleopas and David (or Cleopas and Debbie...or Connie or Jim or Jane or Bob or John), out on the road, home to Emmaus.

This idea of inserting our own name into the story makes sense. They were just like us. They had the same concerns that have been common in every age - keeping body and soul together, keeping out of trouble, keeping in tune with the times, and now keeping a stiff upper lip in the face of dashed hopes and shattered dreams. Just like us.

They were religious folk, just like us, having walked the several hours to Jerusalem a few days before. With a real sense of excitem…