#the stranger on the road to emmaus

[greater-than-the-sword]

The Beautiful Stranger

Luke 24:14-16

Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.

John 21:4

 But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

John 20:14

Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.

Luke 24:31-32

Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”

It seems that Jesus commonly chooses to present Himself in this way after His resurrection. How often does he present himself this way to us as well. He is a beautiful stranger with oddly compelling qualities, but we do not recognize him. Yet, it is not cruel, but fascinating that someone with whom we have such an intimate relationship can choose at any time to make himself mysterious and intriguing all over again. And perhaps this also is the role of the artist; not to paint an obvious portrait of Christ, but to show us again the beautiful stranger who we will eventually realize was Christ all along.

[artandthebible]

Christ on the Road to Emmaus

Artist: Jacques Stella (French, 1596-1657)

What happened on the road to Emmaus?

The events on the road to Emmaus are discussed in Luke 24. In this final chapter of Luke’s Gospel, we read of two disciples (Cleopas and one unnamed) of Jesus who were walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus on the day that Jesus rose from the dead. As they traveled, a man joined them - the resurrected Jesus, although they did not recognize Him. The man asked, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” (Luke 24:17).

The two disciples were surprised that the man had not heard of the recent events that had Jerusalem in turmoil. They proceeded to tell the stranger of Jesus’ crucifixion and the report of His empty tomb. Jesus responded, “‘How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” (Luke 24:25-27).

So, as they walked, Jesus taught what the Old Testament had predicted about Himself. When they arrived in Emmaus that evening, the two disciples stopped to eat, and they asked Jesus to join them. He did, and as He broke the bread and blessed the meal, “their eyes were opened” (verse 31), and they recognized Him. Jesus then vanished.

Their response? Luke reports, “They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, ‘It is true! The Lord has risen’” (verses 33-34).

[orthodoxadventure]

When two of the disciples of Christ were walking on the road to Emmaus (Luke, CH. 24). Christ Himself, on the very day of His resurrection, joined them and began walking with them, asking them why they were so excited. They in turn began asking Him if He was the only one who did not know what had happened in Jerusalem. They said that there was a great prophet who had been killed and then had allegedly risen from the dead; but they did not know what to believe. Christ then began to open their hearts and to explain what the Old Testament said was going to happen to the Messiah. All this time the disciples did not recognise Him, for He did not come to them with signs and wonders to dazzle them. Later on, when they came to Emmaus, Christ made as though He would have gone further, and He would have departed from them unrecognized had they not asked Him -- out of simple love for a stranger in need -- to spend the night with them. Finally, when He sat down with them and 'broke the bread' as He had done at the Last Supper, their eyes were opened, they saw that it was Christ Himself, and then He vanished right before their eyes. They began to question themselves and remembered that, all the time He had been with them walking on the road, they had had a burning in their hearts, even though they had not recognized Him. What made them recognize Christ in the end was this 'burning heart,' and not just the fact that He vanished out of their sight, because magicians can do that also. Therefore, it is not first of all miracles which reveal God to men, but something about God is revealed to a heart that is ready for it. This is what is meant by a 'burning heart.' by which the two disciples had contact with God Who came in the flesh.

-- God's Revelation to the Human Heart by Father Seraphim Rose

[frmartinshomiliesandreflections]

10th July >> Fr. Martin's Gospel Reflections / Homilies on Matthew 9:18-26 for Monday, Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time: ‘Courage my daughter’.

Monday, Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Gospel (Except USA) Matthew 9:18-26 'Your faith has restored you to health'.

While Jesus was speaking, up came one of the officials, who bowed low in front of him and said, ‘My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and her life will be saved.’ Jesus rose and, with his disciples, followed him. Then from behind him came a woman, who had suffered from a haemorrhage for twelve years, and she touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, ‘If I can only touch his cloak I shall be well again.’ Jesus turned round and saw her; and he said to her, ‘Courage, my daughter, your faith has restored you to health.’ And from that moment the woman was well again.

When Jesus reached the official’s house and saw the flute-players, with the crowd making a commotion he said, ‘Get out of here; the little girl is not dead, she is asleep.’ And they laughed at him. But when the people had been turned out he went inside and took the little girl by the hand; and she stood up. And the news spread all round the countryside.

Gospel (USA) Matthew 9:18-26 My daughter has just died, but come and she will live.

While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward, knelt down before him, and said, “My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.” Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples. A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.” Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, “Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.” And from that hour the woman was cured.

When Jesus arrived at the official’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, he said, “Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they ridiculed him. When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose. And news of this spread throughout all that land.

Reflections (7)

(i) Monday, Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

I am struck by the words of Jacob in today’s first reading after he woke from his dream, ‘Truly, the Lord is in this place and I never knew it!’ It is often the way that we are not aware of the Lord’s presence at the time, but looking back we realize that he was there all along. In John’s gospel, John the Baptist declares, ‘Among you stands one whom you do not know’. The Lord can be among us without our knowing it at the time, just as the two disciples on the road to Emmaus did not initially recognize the stranger who joined them as the risen Lord. The Lord is with us even when we are not consciously with him. In today’s gospel reading, two people from opposite ends of the social and religious scale recognized the presence of the Lord among them, a synagogue official who led prayers at the synagogue and a woman whose physical condition would have prevented her from joining the synagogue community for prayer. They approach Jesus differently for healing, the official in a very public way, bowing low before Jesus, and the woman in a hidden, furtive, way, touching the fringe of Jesus’ cloak. The official wanted healing for his daughter; the woman wanted healing for herself. Jesus responded to both the official and the woman, granting the healing they sought. We each have our own way of approaching the Lord who is always present to us. The Lord respects our own unique way of relating to him. He relates to us all with the same generosity, showing no favoritism. The Lord is always ‘in this place’, wherever we happen to be on our life’s journey. We can always reach out to him in a way that is unique to each of us, and we can all be assured of the Lord’s generous response to us in our need.

And/Or

(ii) Monday, Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

In the Jewish Scriptures one of the ways God speaks to people is through their dreams. In this morning’s first reading we find one of the most memorable dreams in the Jewish Scriptures, Jacob’s dream of a ladder reaching between heaven and earth with the angels of God ascending and descending upon it. When Jacob woke from his dream he said, ‘the Lord is in this place and I never knew it... this is the gate of heaven’. Jacob had a profound sense of God’s presence. In the gospel reading this morning, two very different people also had a profound sense of God’s presence, a synagogue official and a woman whose physical condition would have excluded her from the synagogue. They each experienced God’s life-giving presence in a way that was not available to Jacob; they experienced God in the person of Jesus. Jesus is Emmanuel, God-with-us, and he is God-with-us until the end of time. Like the official and the woman, we too live in the presence of Jesus, God-with-us. Yet, like Jacob, we often have reason to say, ‘The Lord is in this place and I never knew it’. We are not always aware of the Lord’s presence. Yet, because the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, there is a sense in which we always stand before what Jacob calls ‘the gate of heaven’. Heaven comes to earth in the person of the Lord, God-with-us. Like the woman in the gospel reading, we are invited to reach out in faith and touch the Lord who is always and everywhere present to us.

And/Or

(iii) Monday, Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

In this morning’s gospel reading two people approach Jesus in their need, a synagogue official who approaches Jesus on behalf of his daughter and a woman with a haemorrhage who approaches Jesus on her own behalf. The way the people approach Jesus is quite different. The synagogue official approaches Jesus in a very public way, bowing low in front of him and speaking aloud his need and his request. The woman approaches Jesus very privately, touching the fringe of his cloak, and speaking only to herself. None of us approaches the Lord in exactly the same way. Our way of relating to the Lord always has a quality that is unique to each of us, just as we each have a unique way of relating to others people. Both the synagogue official and the woman were people of faith but they each expressed their faith very differently. Our faith brings us together as a community of faith, but in doing so it does not suppress our individuality. In the gospel Jesus responded generously to the very different approaches of the synagogue official and of the woman. He made no distinction between them but was equally responsive to their need and their cry for help. The Lord’s response to us is always shaped by and respectful of the unique way that we approach him.

And/Or

(iv) Monday, Fourteenth week in Ordinary Time

I am always struck by the contrast in the way that the two people approach Jesus in today’s gospel reading. The synagogue approached Jesus in a very public way on behalf of his daughter’s healing, bowing low before Jesus before others. The woman approached Jesus in a very private way, coming up behind him to touch the fringe of his cloak for her own healing. She would have been quite happy not to be noticed by anyone. We each approach the Lord differently because we are all different and the circumstances of our lives are different. Our relationship with the Lord is a deeply personal one. As we relate to each other out of our uniqueness, so too we relate to the Lord out of our unique personality and history. Even when we are praying together, as we do at Mass, reciting the same prayers together, we do so in a way that is personal to each one of us. The Lord respected the very different way that the two people approached him in the gospel reading and responded to each of them equally. The Lord respects us in our uniqueness. He recognized and rejoices in the personal nature of our faith. He calls us by name, respecting our individuality. The Christian faith is a communal faith; we journey together to the Lord who is always at work to form a community of believers. Yet, that communal nature of our faith never eradicates what is unique to each of us. As Paul recognized very clear, the church is a unity in diversity, like a human body.

And/Or

(v) Monday, Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

In the gospel reading this morning, two people approach Jesus for healing. One of them, a synagogue official, asks Jesus to come and touch his daughter who has just died, laying his hands on her. The other, a woman with a flow of blood, comes to touch Jesus for herself. Indeed, she limits herself to touching the fringe of his cloak. Both the official and the woman recognize the healing power of touching Jesus or being touched by Jesus. The woman was able to come and touch Jesus for herself. The daughter of the official could not come to Jesus because she had died, and, so, her father came to Jesus on her behalf and asked him to come and touch her. Both of these people, the official and the woman, speak of the two ways that we ourselves often approach Jesus. Like the woman, we often come before him in our own need, seeking to touch the Lord in faith, in our prayer. Like the official, we sometimes come before the Lord in prayer, interceding with him for others, asking him to come into the life of someone who is dear to us. Both forms of prayer, the prayer for our own needs and the prayer for others, are expressions of our faith in the life-giving touch of Jesus. Whether we come before the Lord in the guise of the official or in the guise of the woman, we will be opening up ourselves and those for whom we pray to the Lord’s life-giving and healing presence.

And/Or

(vi) Monday, Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

There is nothing sadder than the funeral of a child. When a child dies everyone is rendered speechless. What words could be adequate to address such loss and grief experienced by the child’s parents? The prayer of the grieving father to Jesus in today’s gospel reading would surely find an echo in the heart of every grieving parent, ‘My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and her life will be saved’. It is a prayer which acknowledges the dark reality of the death of a child, ‘my daughter has just died’, but also expresses hope that somehow this death will not have the last word, ‘lay your hands on her and her life will be saved’. Jesus went on to raise this man’s daughter to life. There must have been many children who died in the time and place of Jesus whom Jesus did not restore to life. However, his raising of the official’s daughter to life served as a sign for all grieving parents. God’s power in Jesus will always work to bring new life out of every death. Jesus’ own experience of death has not abolished death, but his resurrection from the dead reveals that death does not have the last word. Our relationship with God and God’s relationship with us will endure beyond the moment of physical death, just as Jesus’ death was not the end of his relationship with God or of God’s relationship with him. If our relationship with God does not end with death, neither will our various human relationships end, because they are all contained within our relationship with God. In coming closer to God, we come closer to each other.

And/Or

(vii) Monday, Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

There is a very striking image of God’s relationship with his people in today’s first reading from the prophet Hosea, it is the image of God as the husband of his people. God betrothed himself to his people, giving himself in marriage to them, and, in doing so, displaying qualities of integrity, justice, tenderness, love and faithfulness. It was Jesus who fully revealed this faithful love of God for his people. In the gospels, Jesus once referred to himself as the bridegroom. He reveals the love of the divine bridegroom, not just for the people of Israel but for all humanity. We know from our own human experience that true love always brings life to those who are loved. This was true in a special way of Jesus’ love. His love for people brought them life to a unique degree. In today’s gospel reading, Jesus brings life to a synagogue official’s young daughter who had died. Jesus took her by the hand and she stood up. In that way, Jesus was showing us all that his love for us is stronger than death. When death comes to us, Jesus will take us by the hand too and we will stand up in our risen life, a sharing in the Lord’s own risen life. However, this side of death we can also experience the life-giving power of the Lord’s love for us. Like the woman who suffered from a hemorrhage in the gospel reading, we can reach out and touch the Lord’s presence to us here and now. Unlike the official’s very public journey to Jesus, bowing low in front of him, this woman’s journey to Jesus was a very private one, coming up to Jesus from behind him. In whatever way we approach the Lord, we will find that he is always there to receive us. If we entrust ourselves to him with the faith of the woman, and the faith of the synagogue official, we will experience his healing and life-giving presence.

Fr. Martin Hogan.

[hoursofreading]

My wager throughout this volume is that it is only if one concedes that one knows virtually nothing about God that one can begin to recover the presence of holiness in the flesh of ordinary existence. Such holiness, I will suggest, was always already there—only we didn't see, touch, or hear it. This is what Jacob discovered after he wrestled with the stranger through the night, realizing at dawn that he had seen the face of God. It is what the disciples of Jesus discovered after they had walked with the stranger down the road to Emmaus before recognizing, retrospectively, after the breaking of bread, that this wanderer was their risen rabbouni (John 20:16). And it is a lesson recorded by many great mystics who traversed the dark “night of the soul” before discovering, like Teresa of Avila, that divinity dwells in the “pots and pans.” Ana-theos. The return of God after the disappearance of God. A new and surprising divinity that comes all the way back, in an instant, to where we were without knowing it. Eternity in the epiphany of each moment. Repeating, recalling, returning, again and again.

Richard Rohr

[fr-martin-gospel-reflections]

22nd July - ‘Mary of Magdala went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord’, Reflection on the readings for the feast of Saint Mary Magdalene (John 20:1-2, 11-18)

22nd July, Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene

Saint Paul has a way of expressing very succinctly what is at the core of our faith. We find one such expression in today’s alternative first reading where he declares that ‘Christ died for all’, so that those who live might ‘live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised to life for them’. In today’s gospel reading, Mary Magdalen is only aware that Jesus has died; she does not yet know that he has been raised to life. Not only has Jesus been cruelly put to death, she assumes from the empty tomb that his body has been stolen. Immersed in grief, she is not yet capable of living for him who died and was raised to life. It was only when the risen Lord appeared to her that she could begin to live for him again, as she had done before he died. Like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, however, Mary failed to recognise Jesus when she first saw him and entered into conversation with him. Their moment of recognition was when the stranger broke bread at their table. Mary’s moment of recognition was when the stranger spoke her name, like the good shepherd who knows his own by name. She was now ready to live for Jesus crucified and risen. She would become a ‘new creation’, in the words of Paul in our first reading. Commissioned by the risen Lord, she became his messenger to the other disciples, declaring to them that she had seen the Lord. The risen Lord, our good shepherd, continues to call us by name. Having died and rose from the dead for us, he calls on us to live not for ourselves but for him, by witnessing to our faith in him as risen Lord. Living for the Lord gives value to all that we say and do. Like Mary Magdalene, we become a new creation.

[newprophets]

The Miracle of the Resurrection Luke 24

In Luke 24, we are introduced to a pivotal moment in Christian history: the discovery of the empty tomb. At dawn, women who had followed Jesus came to the tomb with spices they had prepared, only to find the stone rolled away. Entering the tomb, they did not find the body of Jesus. As they stood there perplexed, two men in dazzling apparel appeared, announcing that Jesus had risen. The women, filled with awe, hurried to tell the disciples, but their news was met with skepticism. Peter, however, ran to the tomb and found only the linen cloths, marveling at what had occurred. Further along, two disciples on the road to Emmaus encountered a stranger who interpreted the scriptures about the Messiah. When they shared a meal, they recognized Him as Jesus. Overwhelmed with joy, they returned to Jerusalem to share the news. Jesus then appeared to His disciples, offering peace and showing His wounds as proof of His resurrection. Explaining the scriptures, He commissioned them to preach repentance and forgiveness worldwide. The chapter concludes with Jesus' ascension, leaving the disciples worshiping Him with great joy. Luke 24 invites us to embrace the hope and joy of the resurrection, inspiring us to live with faith and share the good news.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Road to Emmaus | Camino de Emaús Bruce Marchiano stars in this dramatic production which helps viewers discover what may have happened during the miraculous journey on the Road to Emmaus. Mourning the death of Jesus, two first-century travelers were joined by a mysterious stranger. Over the next few hours, the stranger revealed many mysteries that lay hidden in the ancient Scriptures. Soon, the purpose of Jesus’ life became clear…and the travelers’ sadness turned to great joy.

Bruce Marchiano protagoniza esta producción dramática que ayuda a los espectadores a descubrir lo que pudo ocurrir durante el milagroso viaje de Emaús. Dos viajeros del siglo I, de luto por la muerte de Jesús, se encontraron con un misterioso desconocido. Durante las horas siguientes, el desconocido les reveló muchos misterios ocultos en las antiguas Escrituras. Pronto, el propósito de la vida de Jesús quedó claro… y la tristeza de los viajeros se convirtió en una gran alegría.

Spanish Version

[veale2006-blog]

The Masks of God Thursday, April 18, 2024 Recognizing Him There are times the Lord appeared to His people in disguise: walking on water and they thought Him a ghost, to Mary/Miriam looking something like the gardener, to the disciples as a stranger on the road to Emmaus. So, too, the Lord often appears to your life in disguise, and just as His own disciples didn't recognize Him, chances are you've missed Him. He may speak to you disguised as the radio teacher, the pastor, a friend, your conscience, or even as an unbeliever. The Lord may touch you through your boss, your parent, as sunlight on a beautiful day, or as a smile from a stranger. It's the Lord in disguise. He might save your life through the correction of a friend, through the hurt of the enemy, or even through what looks like a tragedy at the time. If you belong to Him, the Lord says to you, "I am with you always even to the end of the age." If you don't always see Him or feel Him, it doesn't mean He's not there. It means He's there right by your side in disguise.

Today's Mission Today, seek to identify all the appearances of the Lord in your life, in people, circumstances, guidance, provision, and blessings.

Isaiah 41:10 10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. “But you, Israel, are my servant. You’re Jacob, my first choice, descendants of my good friend Abraham.I pulled you in from all over the world, called you in from every dark corner of the earth, Telling you, ‘You’re my servant, serving on my side. I’ve picked you. I haven’t dropped you.’ Don’t panic. I’m with you. There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.

HAVE A BLESSED DAY AND WEEKEND!!

[generouspersonamano]

Luke 24:13-33 ~ We don't know the two disciples' names. Yet. Heaven awaits. 😊 But what a story they lived. What a Bible study! It was given to them by Jesus Himself.

It was the afternoon of Resurrection Day. The two men were walking to Emmaus, a little town eight miles from Jerusalem. They were despondent and perplexed. They had heard of the empty tomb and the report of the women and Peter and John. They didn't understand. All they knew was that their Lord was dead and now gone.

As they walked along they were joined by a stranger and He listened to them conversing sadly and He asked what was wrong. They were astonished. "Where have you been? On another planet?!" No, they didn't say that last part but we would in our present culture.

But He HAD! He had gone to heaven and presented Himself, the pure, sacrificial Lamb, to God the Father!

He then began sharing the greatest Bible study ever. Beginning with Genesis at the Garden of Eden then through all the Old Testament Scriptures (the only ones there were), Jesus shared all the prophecies that HE had fulfilled from His birth, life, death and resurrection!

Wow. Can you imagine?! Jesus, the Author of the prophecies was also the living fulfillment. My mind boggles thinking about it.

The sun was setting, the men came to their home. Jesus would have walked on, for He never forces Himself on anyone. He awaits to get invited in. The disciples begged Him in, He graciously entered and as they broke bread (had dinner), He offered the blessing (another WOW!) and their eyes opened and they saw His nail-scarred hands, His loving face and were stunned with joy! Then He disappeared (again, WOW!) Though it was dark, they RAN back to Jerusalem to the Disciples to share the Good News, i.e. the GOSPEL!

Their story continues later...

Jesus walks beside you all the time, on the smooth road or rocky path. The home in your heart needs to be opened so you can invite Him in. He is loving, patient and kind. Just open up to Him and let Him share His story and love with you.

Peace. 🕆💙

[pastorhogg]

Unveiling the Scriptures

Insights from Luke 24:27 Historical Context: two disciples journey to Emmaus. They are disheartened and confused about recent events, particularly the crucifixion of Jesus. This context is crucial for understanding their state of mind as they encounter a stranger on the road. The historical backdrop includes the political tension in Judea under Roman occupation and the religious fervor…

[hefillsthevoid]

POWER TO KNOW THE WORD

(A throwback of fundamental importance)

The difference between exposure to the Word of God and understanding the Word of God is vast! Temporarily forgetting this often leads to ministry discouragement. Let’s think for a moment.

Many times ministers and others, too, pray for and witness to specific people on their heart. However, it seems to be fruitless regardless of the number of times or the intensity of the witness. On the other hand the hyper-evangelist will count one as saved even though nothing more has happened than a handshake or a mental acquiescence to whatever the one witnessing has said just to get the session to stop. Later, that person falls by the wayside, and is hardened in heart, and God’s people wonder how and why.

These things are not uncommon, and they underscore that it is not man but God Who gives the increase, not only in genuine spiritual salvation, but in understanding the Word to the degree of some level of maturity and anchorage in it. Two of Jesus’ disciples traveled the road to Emmaus in great discouragement following the crucifixion of our Lord. They were joined by a stranger whom they later discovered was the resurrected Christ Jesus. Their observation was: “Did not our hearts burn within us as He opened to us the scriptures?” Only with Holy help did they understand what they had already been exposed to, but without such blessed understanding.

As He neared the climax of His ministry on earth, Jesus told his disciples: “I have many things to say to you, but ye cannot bear them now.” John 16:12. So, it is a process, and a blessed one at that. The more one yields to the Lord, and studies His Word, the more he will be given understanding of the blessed unity, symmetry, and harmony of it.

In John 1:12, it is written, “ But as many as received Him to them gave He the power to become the sons of God. This is not a reference to initial, spiritual salvation so much as it is accepting Him as God in human form. The process of “becoming“ is predicated on their being spiritually saved, but now they will enjoy understanding to a high degree of spiritual maturity, and be a part of the “Pillar and ground of the truth.”

Solomon put it this way, “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; it is the honor of kings to search it out.” Prov. 25:2. Certainly, it is a good thing for one to be exposed to the holy Word. It is a good thing for those of understanding to continue to expose the Word to others. But the moment one tries to tie himself to the product, is the moment discouragement begins. It is simply stated this way: one may plant, another may water and cultivate, but it is God Who gives the increase. Jesus said to His church: I am the vine; ye are the branches. . . without me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

So, all hail the power of Jesus’ name! Let us do the work He has given to us to do in full assurance that He will faithfully do His!

William Andrew Dillard

[mothereliza]

Sorrow turned into Joy!

Summary

The scriptures warmed their hearts, and the bread and wine fed their souls, and they went back and shared the Good News! Luke 24:28-32; Acts 2:14a, 36-41; 1 Peter 1: 13-16

            We are celebrating two special occasions on this beautiful third Sunday of Easter. I pray that the scriptures profoundly affect us as they affected the first Christians.

On the day of Pentecost, Peter delivered a sermon that influenced and shaped the first Christians. He asked them to prepare their minds to meet the challenges of being first-generation Christians in a hostile environment. And part of that commitment is knowing that they must be actively engaged. Being prepared implies several things. First, it means constantly seeking to understand the mystery of God's saving grace and consistently finding ways to serve God faithfully. Sometimes we take faith personally and forget that faith is God's grace, and even coming together to worship is not something we must do to please God. Instead of putting all our energies into worshipping, Peter teaches the new Christians that their calling as "chosen people" is to love one another -  to seek to understand the faith together, to journey together, and then obey the commandment to go to the world and tell others of Jesus as Lord and Messiah in their unique ways.

Peter connects baptism with the gift of the Holy Spirit and the idea that God's promise extends to those present, their children, and everyone whom God calls (Acts 2: 28-39). Baptism, therefore, is an act of recognition because baptism declares a new identity. In some ways, baptism seems like a human ritual. Nevertheless, this somewhat peculiar act of washing by water makes a powerful statement about Christians' identity as purified and free people; people empowered to seek God, live in authentic community, and have mutual love with God and one another (1 Peter 1:22).

We heard the gospel's account of two disciples walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus. The two men were among many followers who loved Jesus and had hoped that he would successfully lead a movement to overthrow the rulers of Rome over Israel. So, with Jesus's crucifixion, all their hopes were dashed. Then they heard that Jesus was alive and did not know what to make of the confusing story—being friendly with a stranger on the road paid off. They talked about the scriptures and allowed them to warm their hearts. The Scriptures tend to warm hearts, but you must get into it.At the end of the journey, Jesus fed the two men with bread and wine, and something dramatic happened; their sorrows turned into joy.

Today, we (the church) will share the joy of two sacred mysteries that Christ established – Baptism and the Holy Communion. We will baptize two little ones into the family of God. While doing that, we will affirm our renouncement of evil and our commitment to Christ. As has been a Christian tradition, we will promise to hold the hands of these young ones as they embark on a journey to be Christ's own forever. And the celebration will continue when we affirm the Sacramental rights – Holy Communion -  by breaking bread with three young children at their First Communion. We will proclaim our faith as we remember Christ's death, proclaim his resurrection, and await his coming in glory.

There's still one puzzling question. Couldn't Jesus have stayed longer? He could, but he didn't because it's all part of educating us on how to be in His presence in Spirit from now on. We have learned to do so these 2,000-plus years.

May we continue to share these mysteries of baptism and communion and the Good News of our redemption till Christ returns. Amen!

[religioused]

Luke 24:13-35 (New American Bible)

13 Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them,

16 but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

17 And he said to them, "What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?" They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?" He asked them, "What things?" They replied, "The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place.

22 Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him."

25 Then he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?" Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, "Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over." So he went in to stay with them.

30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?"

33 That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, "The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!" Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Jesus’ Face in a Burrito

by Gary Simpson

The followers of Jesus went through hell in the first few hours, the first few days after Jesus was crucified. I cannot imagine how difficult it would be to know that your teacher, your treasured rabbi, who told captivating stories and who shared profound insights had been tried and convicted of a crime He did not commit and was executed.

This story is so powerful that if you mention life feels like you are on the Emmaus Road, many Christians will immediately understand. The disciples meet a stranger. When the stranger understands that their hope that Jesus was the Messiah was shattered by Jesus’ execution, this stranger takes them on a Bible study. I would describe it as a cover-to-cover Bible study, as the stranger explains Biblical prophecy that points to a suffering Messiah.

And it was not until they recognized who the stranger was. When Jesus spread His hands to bless the food, they saw the stigmata of the crucifixion, and they recognized this stranger was their loved rabbi. That meal meant the world to them. It restored their faith, gave them hope, and removed their deep grief.

As I read the Gospel reading, my mind caught this verse. “When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.”

My memory went back to the early 1990s. Many Government departments and agencies were operating under budget restraints. During this time of budget restraints, I made a brave, and possibly foolish move. I requested a special educational leave from work. I requested the leave, so I could complete some graduate studies in California. I was anxious to spend a quarter session in southern California. Several years prior to this I was taking a graduate program during the summers in California. Completing a spring quarter in California would accelerate my program of studies, allowing me to graduate a year earlier. I was also hoping to avoid some of the intense heat of July and August in the Inland Empire region. And going down for the spring quarter allowed me to get an early start on summer, because the Inland Empire was so much warmer than early spring in Canada.

After my educational leave was approved, we learned that some positions like my position would be abolished. As you can imagine, things were very tense. Everyone was worried. We had no idea how many people would lose their jobs or who those people would be. Because our contracts had no seniority clause, we knew that anybody could lose their jobs. Getting another job would prove very difficult due to the economic situation in Alberta. I was afraid that I would lose my job. I discussed the situation with a trusted superior. Of course, that superior had no information he could share. He just observed that it was difficult to get educational leaves. I decided to drive to the university in California. My plan was to start courses, but to delay registering in courses until the layoffs were announced. If I was one of the people who was laid off, I would immediately return home and start looking for work. Should the news be good, I would remain in California for spring quarter.

The first few days of classes were challenging. Like all of my colleagues in Alberta, I was holding my breath. One of my professors learned about the situation. He was a professor in the counselling department. He could have done something major. Instead, he did something small, but so meaningful that I remember what he did, even though his name escapes me for the moment. He remarked that it was almost lunch time and asked me if I would like to join him. He was going to go to a taco place and get a burrito. He paid for my lunch. We never discussed the looming layoffs. All we did was share a few minutes of his lunch hour, as we ate our burritos. That act of kindness remains in my mind to this day. It was one of the kindest things anybody ever did for me.

Just before the deadline to register in classes, I phoned my workplace and learned who was safe and who was laid off. I was safe, so I was able to stay in California that spring quarter. While the studies were heavy, it was one of the most enjoyable periods of my life. For a few months, I got away from the economic deepfreeze of Alberta, and I was able to spend a few months where the economy was doing well. I was also able to escape the high-demand religion I grew up in. Being able to go to a church that was more grace-oriented was just the thing my soul needed. But it is the burrito that I remember. The burrito. Because in that burrito, I caught a glimpse of the stigmata of the cross on my professor’s hands.

Recently, when I was in a Bible study group, we were asked to describe our favorite meal. I told the story of the burrito, and the virtual room was filled with ahs.

May you have a burrito today. May you give someone a burrito today, and may this church be a burrito in the lives of the entire city. Amen.

[abravefaith]

When the stranger becomes the host - On the road to Emmaus

THE COMMUNITY in which I joined the Methodist Church last year hosts a short telephone service on Sunday afternoons – like a Christian conference call! Today I was invited to offer a five-minute reflection on the Gospel of the day - the road to Emmaus

Christ at Emmaus by Rembrandt (1629) THE COMMUNITY in which I joined the Methodist Church last year hosts a short telephone service on Sunday afternoons – like a Christian conference call! Today I was invited to offer a five-minute reflection on the Gospel reading of the day [Luke 24.13–35 – The road to Emmaus]. My reflection was inspired by Jesus the Forgiving Victim: Listening for the unheard…

[riverdamien]

Practicing the Resurrection!

Practicing Resurrection!

Luke 24:13-35

"The two were walking in the wrong direction but they were on the right path."

"There have been crucifixions, too, in our town — innocents gunned down in their doorways or in school halls; or radiations black outlines, three crosses marked a sisters chest: no wonder we walk in quiet rage, musing. Or

the tents in every doorway on the street,

or the endless homeless hid in Marin?

And who, on this road, will join us, seeming unaware of the worst news in the neighborhood, but spelling out the history of the prophets and a future:        Ought not Christ to have suffered these things        and to enter into his glory? Could our hearts still burn within us?

Will we ask the stranger to stay? Break bread? And how will our well-hammered and nailed kitchens and bedrooms appear to us when we understand who he is just as he steals away? — Sandra R. Duguid, “Road to Emmaus”"\

The scene of Emmaus has the men walking in the wrong direction, but on the right path.

In the midst of homelessness growing throughout the nation, the repeated violence on the streets and in our schools let us invite the--the homeless person at our door in for a meal,  the immigrant, the people of whom we are afraid; let us open our eyes in our neighborhoods and see ourselves as a part of the problem, in our greed, and endless need for money and big houses; how do we treat youth, as persons or objects to be moved; do we lift our faces from our social media and and talk to one another;  let us ask ourselves the question of "Who are we?"

"Only the truth of who  you are will set you free."

Eckhart Tolle

For me the question of the heart, the uppermost question in my mind for years now, is how can I "break bread" and be an example of Jesus to every individual I meet of rich, medium income, the homeless, the person of color, the immigrant, and all in pain? By taking the binders off my eyes do I practice the resurrection.

And the question for you the reader to ask yourself, and answer for yourself is:

How Do I Practice the Resurrection?

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Father Christian River Damien Sims, sfw, D.Min., D.S.T.

P.O. Box 642656

San Francisco, CA 94164

www.temenos.org

415-305-2124

As we approach the summer it appears we will need a new van, ours is breaking down, to carry food, socks etc, to the Haight!

Our funds are short, and people are desperate in need of food etc. So please give from the bottom of your heart!