{"id":5290,"date":"2019-05-16T08:00:15","date_gmt":"2019-05-16T00:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/?p=5290"},"modified":"2021-10-15T16:26:34","modified_gmt":"2021-10-15T08:26:34","slug":"223-emmaus-scriptures-generosity-and-presence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/?p=5290","title":{"rendered":"224. Emmaus: Scriptures, Generosity, and Presence"},"content":{"rendered":"

28\u00a0<\/sup>As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on.\u00a029\u00a0<\/sup>But they urged him strongly, saying, \u201cStay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.\u201d So he went in to stay with them.\u00a030\u00a0<\/sup>When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.\u00a031\u00a0<\/sup>Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight.\u00a032\u00a0<\/sup>They said to each other, \u201cWere not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?\u201d\u00a033\u00a0<\/sup>That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together.\u00a034\u00a0<\/sup>They were saying, \u201cThe Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!\u201d\u00a035\u00a0<\/sup>Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.<\/span><\/strong> [Luke 24:28-35<\/span>, NRSV<\/em>]<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Resurrection Church in Abu Gosh; church interior [Photo: Dr. LL Chan]; Supper at Emmaus, by Caravaggio, 1601.<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0Resurrection Church in Abu Gosh, also known as the\u00a0Church of the Crusaders in Abu Gosh, is the name given to a church that marks a place believed to be Emmaus described in Luke 24. Located about 6.2 miles from Jerusalem, it forms part of the Benedictine monastery of St. Mary of the Resurrection in\u00a0Abu Gosh<\/a>,\u00a0in central\u00a0Israel<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

During our visit, a Mass in progress prevented us from entering the church for quite some time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reflection<\/u><\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n

While waiting, we recalled that the ending in the narratives of all the four Gospels are framed as, in a sense, a new beginning. They give ample hints that as the narratives draw to a close, this would just be the start of a whole new phase of life and work for all who would be disciples of Jesus of Nazareth. Mark\u2019s Gospel did not end with the women \u201csaying nothing to any one, for they were afraid\u201d (Mark 16:8). \u201cSaying nothing\u201d could not possibly be the last word of the Good News of Jesus Christ who had already announced \u201cthe truth\u201d at his anointing by a woman at Bethany that \u201cwherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her\u201d (Mark 14:9). Matthew ends his Gospel with Jesus sending his disciples out on a mission, promising his presence and company \u201cto the end of time\u201d (Matthew 28:20). In John\u2019s Gospel, readers are treated to a potent future-pointing picture encapsulated in Jesus\u2019 words. Peter asks Jesus about his assignment for John, and Jesus answers thus: \u201cIf it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?\u201d (John 21:23). It is Luke\u2019s Gospel, however, that detained our imagination while we stood there waiting. More than just future-looking, Luke\u2019s narrative on what has become popularly known as the Emmaus Walk (Luke 24:13-35) portrays an unrepeatable moment which nevertheless would be the model for subsequent Christian experience. As the event launched God\u2019s renewed people in Israel two thousand years ago, so will it launch contemporary Christians of the twenty-first century, and of every subsequent century, on a path of authentic, kingdom-promoting life of discipleship.<\/span><\/p>\n

Concerning this model, three elements in particular stand out for reflection. It is evidently the intention of the Risen Lord that in combination, these three elements set the pattern for the way He will be known from then on.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Breaking Open the Scriptures<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Risen Christ, yet unrecognized, pulled up alongside the two dispirited disciples. The first thing he did was to break open the Word of the Scriptures to them. The method and style of his exposition, and the substance of his analysis, caused their hearts to burn inside them. In turn, later, upon recognizing the Lord, they would dash back to Jerusalem to spread the good news, their hearts burning with immense excitement.<\/span><\/p>\n

Patently, there is no \u201cgood news\u201d to preach on or to speak about, if the Word is not first properly broken open to the listeners. If the people are not properly fed by the Word through competent reflection and explanation, they will not be excited with their faith and their ability to pass on the Word would be seriously curtailed.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Blessed Presence of the Lord in the Breaking of the Bread<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Resurrected Christ sets the pattern in this narrative that he will be recognized at the breaking of the bread. In so indicating the pattern here, Luke points forward to Acts of the Apostles 2:42 where the renewed community of the Crucified and Risen Lord would present the marks of the church as:<\/span><\/p>\n