There are some phrases that sound like a slang term but somehow the meaning is quite clear, and it does make sense.
For example, there is the phrase “talk the talk”. It can mean that the person knows what he is talking about and speaks fluently and convincingly about the topic.
But it can also mean that a person talks the talk just to please or impress others. It may also mean that words are not followed by actions and that the person does not practice what he preaches.
Another phrase is “walk the walk”. It means that actions speak louder than words, and that what is said is also done.
So if a person talks the talk and he walks the walk, then he is a man of his word and deserves respect for putting action into words.
But it can be said that there are many who like to talk the talk, and not that many who will walk the walk.
In the gospel we read of two of the disciples of Jesus who are walking to a village called Emmaus.
As they walked, they also talked about all that had happened in the past few days.
But they were not doing the “walk the walk”. Rather they were like walking away from it all.
This was evident as Jesus came up and walked by their side but somehow, they did not recognize Him.
As Jesus asked them what matters they were discussing, they stopped short, their faces downcast.
Yes, they were walking away from it all. They had hoped that Jesus would be the one they had waited for, but they saw Him being sentenced to death and crucified.
And then they heard news that He was alive. But since then, He has not been seen.
The disappointment, followed by the confusion, was just too much for them and so they decided to walk away from it all and to talk no more about it.
So, for the two disciples it was to Emmaus and then back to the world that they came from.
It was on that road to Emmaus that Jesus “walked the walk” and “talked the talk”.
Jesus came to seek and to save the lost and He came up to the two disciples to walk with them in their disappointment and misery.
He “talked the talk” as He explained to them the scriptures that pointed to Himself.
The gloom of sadness and misery was lifted as their hearts began to burn with hope.
And finally, at the breaking of bread, Jesus opened their eyes to reveal Himself to them.
And from walking away from it all, they ran back to tell the Good News that Jesus was alive.
Yes, Jesus is risen, He is alive, He walks with us and He wants to talk with us.
There may be areas in our lives that we are thinking of walking away from - the stressful job, the quarrelsome families, the stale marriage.
We may also want to walk away from our financial difficulties, our troublesome relationships, our headaches and our heartaches.
Jesus comes to walk with us and He wants to talk with us.
Now is the time to read the Bible and to pray and to let Jesus speak to us.
May we also look forward to the day when we can be gathered together in His presence in the Eucharist, with our hearts burning with love, with our faith being strengthened and our hope be always in the blessings of the Lord.