He was one of the two disciples walking to Emmaus on the day of the Resurrection who met Jesus on the road without recognizing him. They knew the Lord in the breaking of the bread and hurried back to Jerusalem to share the news.
Life
Saint Cleopas is a disciple of Jesus named in chapter 24 of the Gospel of Luke. On the day of the Resurrection, he and another disciple were walking from Jerusalem to a village called Emmaus, talking sadly about all that had happened.
The risen Jesus came up and walked with them, explaining the Scriptures, but they did not recognize him. When evening came they begged him to stay, and at table, when Jesus broke the bread, their eyes were opened. At once they returned to Jerusalem to share the news. An ancient tradition considers him a brother of Joseph, but this is not certain.
Spirituality
Cleopas's spirituality is the experience of meeting the risen Lord on a road of disappointment. On a journey away from lost hope, his heart burned as the Scriptures were opened, and he recognized the Lord in the breaking of the bread. This story mirrors the Mass, where we meet the Lord in the Word and the Eucharist.
Reflection
Cleopas met Jesus walking beside him on a road of discouragement. Why not seek today, in Mass and in prayer, the Lord who is walking with you on the hard road you are traveling now?