Road to Emmaus

As we look at the Disciples on the Road to Emmaus, we see a pattern of our own lives as we live it out in 2007.

1. First there are two Disciples and they are leaving Jerusalem. This is not just a physical place, a spot in geography. It is symbolic. This is the beginning of our Church. This is where Jesus was lost in the temple, this is where Jesus healed the man who was ill for 38 years, this is where Jesus drove the buyers and sellers out of the Temple, this is the place over which Jesus wept. This is the place where Jesus celebrated his last supper, giving us the Eucharist and the Priesthood. Leaving Jerusalem, was symbolic of leaving the Church. How many people we know have left the Church because

the Church has not come up to their expectations.

their God has not answered their prayers as they expected

the Pope and Bishops and Priests have failed to be "servants of God"

People may make all sorts of judgments about those "who leave" - but that is neither here nor there. These two are leaving and our church is poorer because of their decision (right or wrong). What is my attitude when people leave, do I mourn as when I loose a dear one, or do I say, "good riddance".

2. We do not know the Disciples. We are told one’s name is Clophas. Men or women for a long time, we have presumed they were two men. But Jesus called men and women to follow him. The two disciples could have been Clophas and his wife. It is a pity that we do not have her name. But then again, the nameless disciple is a good sign, because it is up to me to put my name. I am the other Disciple. How often have I left because of the example of others - I was scandalized by their behaviour. Some were a source of scandal, others were a stumbling block in my journey with the Church.

3. A lot of the problems of the Leaving Disciples were their own, like many of ours. They were inward looking. They were self centred. They were bothered that their ideals were shattered. We can see their total disillusionment in those words: ‘WE HAD HOPED" - in Latin: Sperabamus. We have had disillusionments:

• the lottery ticket did not even have one winning number
• our spouse was unfaithful
• our priests were insensitive
• my parent has cancer.
• I did not receive a promotion, or worse: I was fired.

• Some of these are trivial, others are serious. It is legitimate to feel concerned, but then we pray after the Our Father, "Deliver us Lord from every evil and protect us from all anxiety." When things go bad, St . Ignatius of Loyola tells us to stick with the "programme" - you may vary your fasting or sleeping time a bit, but be faithful to pray, rest, and food. Often these "needless anxieties" will disappear, or more often, you will receive the strength to bear them.

4. The Strength came from and "Jesus walked with them." if we have the Cross as all of us do, Jesus does not throw us to the winds. Jesus walks with us, if we can only cast our eyes on Jesus, rather than as the Gospel tells us about the Disciples, "their eyes were fixed" where? On the ground? On themselves? On self pity? - Jesus will walk with us. Jesus will talk with us. Jesus will not give us an easy way out but will show us the Way. Because HE IS THE WAY.

A stranger came into town and said to a Local, "I am lost." The Local said, "Where to do wish to go." To which the stranger said, to the Hospital. The Local said, "You are not lost, you only do not know the way."

5. Jesus explained to them the Scriptures. All our problems, all our joys are there in the Holy Book. We do not experience anything new, our companions in faith and companions on our journey have experienced what we are experiencing at some time or the other in the past centuries, and they have put them down in the Holy Book. We need to take time with this book, as much as we handle the TV Guide, or even our private prayers and devotions. We have a whole list of them that we must go through sometimes with scrupulosity or superstition. Jesus still talks to us through Scriptures. Our new Archbishop has been promoting "LECTIO DIVINA" - reading of the Scriptures in a meditative manner. It is a healthy way of regaining peace and strength, when we like the disciples think the whole world is collapsing around us, - especially my own life, my family life, my spiritual life. Do not read it as a Novel, trying to get from cover to cover, but rather like a Child with a lollipop, we chew on it, we take it out of our mouth, we look at it, we taste it again and we savour the Word. "Taste and See the goodness of the Lord."

6. You might expect me to conclude with the Eucharist. The Disciples recognized Jesus in the breaking of the Bread. But I rather end with the request of the Disciples. When they reached Emmaus, Jesus made as if to go on. But the Disciples said, "Stay with us, Lord, for the evening is far gone."

The two phrase in this passage that are dear to me are:

SPERABAMUS - we had hoped

MANE NOBISCUM DOMINE, - stay with us Lord.

They say, when things get Tough, the Tough get going. When things get tough, we need to say to the Lord. Stay with us Lord.

And since the Lord is staying with you. It is time, I get off this page. God bless.