17 And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. 18 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?” 19 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, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. [Luke 24:17-21, NRSV]
Christ Appears to Two Disciples on the Road to Emmaus, by an unknown iconographer
The very human story of the walk to Emmaus is one of Pope Francis‘ favourite passages in the New Testament. Like other Popes, Francis too has reflected and preached much on the Emmaus story. But unlike other Popes, Francis is typically not immediately interested in making ex-cathedra teachings on “true doctrine” or “moral rigour.” His concrete, practical, down to earth Bible reflection and application comes through at once in the following quote:
- The two pilgrims had been nurturing a uniquely human hope which was now falling to pieces. That Cross raised on Calvary was the most eloquent sign of a defeat which they had not foreseen. If that Jesus was truly in accordance with God’s heart, then they had to conclude that God was unarmed, defenceless in the hands of violent people, unable to offer any resistance to evil… They still envision the events of the Passion, the death of Jesus unfold, and their souls bear the painful torment of those events. So on that Sunday morning, these two men flee from Jerusalem. What should have inspired a song of liberation, has instead transformed into the most painful day of their lives. They leave Jerusalem to go elsewhere… They look like people who are intent on removing a burning memory. They are thus on the road, walking in sadness. This scenario — the road — had already been important in the Gospel narratives. It will now become increasingly more important, at the moment in which the history of the Church begins to be told… And therefore, Jesus begins his “therapy of hope”.
Pope Francis is more interested in meeting people on the road, listening to their woes and confusion, opening the Scriptures to them, illuminating Christ in the Scriptures, breaking bread with them, and leading them to Christ at the Communion. Of the myriad meditations on Emmaus Pope Francis has published, we pick three practical pointers for reflection and ongoing discussion.
- Ask, Listen and Help
Pope Francis knows the power in listening well. He sees it in Jesus’ conduct:
- Firstly, He asks and listens. Our God is not an intrusive God. Even though he knows the reason for the disappointment of those two men, he gives them time to be able to deeply fathom the bitterness which has overcome them. Out of this comes a confession that is a refrain in human existence. “We had hoped, but…. We had hoped, but…” (v. 21).
It takes a heart of empathy, of solidarity with the suffering humanity, to see “how much sadness, how many defeats, how many failures there are in the lives of every person!” The Holy Father can feel that deep down, we are all a little like those two disciples: “How many times we have hoped in our lives. How many times we have felt like we were one step away from happiness only to find ourselves knocked to the ground, disappointed.” But Jesus draws alongside us, walking with us, restoring our hope.
Evangelisation is of course the responsibility of all disciples of Christ, but what Pope Francis finds fascinating, what attracts him more, and what makes the heart burn, as it did for the disciples at Emmaus, is “proclamation in a missionary style that focuses on the essentials, on the necessary things”.
The situation of the two disciples leaving Jerusalem to return to Emmaus mirrors the situation of many Christians of our own time. They are, for the Pope, like falling away Catholics who exit the Church in disappointment and despair. The Holy Father feels deeply for Catholics who, disappointed with scandals in the Catholic Church, have taken to the road and left the Church. They left the Church thinking that She has nothing meaningful or important to offer.
Lo and behold, Jesus comes up and walks beside them. He engages them in conversation and asks them to explain their frustrations. And he listens. The Pope sees in this a model for what we are to do. Always begin the conversation by asking and listening, not just commanding and instructing. Jesus – a “stranger on the road” whom they do not recognize – listened quietly even as the deserting disciples accused him of being completely ignorant of what happened on Good Friday. They needed to talk; please let them talk. And Jesus listens with full attention, as an act of love. We need to do the same – spend more time loving and listening, before speaking and saying anything. Like Jesus, truly be a fellow traveler. Do not be too anxious to be a teacher right away.
- A missionary priest from Ireland once shared his experience on his first visit to a remote African village on evangelization work. Pausing and taking in the tranquil scenic beauty all around him, and the very simple way of life of the natives, his heart burst with joy inside. Hit with a profound insight not unlike Moses who took off his shoes at the holy ground, he marvelled: “God has been here! This is God’s territory. This is a privilege. I must tread with care. I must listen to God speaking to me through these people.” And deep down, he knew at once that he needed to treat the native people with the utmost respect. What he came to share with them would, in the truest sense, be what they have already known, deep down. For they have been personally taught by God!
Pope Francis goes further and brilliantly links the Emmaus story to the Church. He wants a Church that asks, listens and positively helps. And so, as Jesus accompanied the disciples in the night of their despair and turned them around to face Jerusalem again, Francis wants a Church that can do likewise, a Church
- “capable of walking at people’s side, of doing more than simply listening to them; a Church which accompanies them on their journey; a Church able to make sense of the ‘night’ contained in the flight of so many of our brothers and sisters from Jerusalem; a Church which realizes that the reasons why people leave also contain reasons why they can eventually return.”
For Pope Francis, “Jerusalem” in the Gospel story is symbol for the Church. It is where the risen Lord is, where the apostles are. It is the centre of the faith and the whole faith community is experiencing its most critical time of crisis. To leave it now is a very sad thing. It is not a good sign at all. It is a sign of disillusionment and hurt, a sign of despondency. But in the story, the risen Christ is able to show how all the dreadful things that have happened were foretold in Scripture, and after their encounter with the risen Christ, the disciples return to Jerusalem with joy.
- And so he asks: “Are we still a Church capable of warming hearts? A Church capable of leading people back to Jerusalem? Of bringing them home? Jerusalem is where our roots are: Scripture, catechesis, sacraments, community, friendship with the Lord, Mary and the apostles… Are we still able to speak of these roots in a way that will revive a sense of wonder at their beauty?”
- And yet, be blunt when necessary
To professed Christians, particularly church leaders who display a serious lack of faith and obedience, however, Pope Francis has learned well from the Lord that he needs to speak bluntly. When Jesus begins speaking on the Emmaus road, his first line is, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken.” Jesus is clearly not just about affirmation.
Lack of faith and lack of obedience need to be identified, especially where defensive mindsets block all subtle criticisms. Plain talks may have a better chance of compelling a realization that they need forgiveness. More so in a church where clerical status and position is held, albeit unspoken, above the truth. So we see Pope Francis consistently railing against clericalism. And then, arguably the worst of all, the common people are enculturated to think that it is not good to “judge”, confusing gossips and vain-judging with the Christian duty to judge, to hold those given the “talents” to account.
On the road, Jesus of course does not stop at dropping a blunt statement and leave. He stays on to explain at length the ways the Old Testament is testifying about him, his suffering death and resurrection. Jesus conducts a proper lesson in Bible study with them, beginning with a part of the faith they do accept and draws them into parts they are having trouble comprehending and accepting. Much patience may be required, as well as a solid understanding of the faith. Pope Francis draws attention to the fact that Jesus speaks to them above all through the Scriptures. In doing so, the customarily down-to-earth Pope points out:
- Those who take up God’s Book will not encounter easy heroism, fierce campaigns of conquest. True hope never comes cheaply. It always undergoes defeat. The hope of those who do not suffer is perhaps not even hope. God does not like to be loved as one would love a ruler who leads his people to victory, annihilating his enemies in a bloodbath. Our God is a faint light burning on a cold and windy day, and as fragile as his presence in this world may appear, he has chosen the place that we all disdain.
Still, it’s not quite enough. Only after the disciples have invited Jesus into their homes based on the Word, are they ready for the sacraments. People may experience their hearts burning when we share the Scriptures with them, but Emmaus teaches that they will really recognise Jesus in the breaking of the bread. Pope Francis suggests that beyond warning people off some of the bigger sins in life, we need to lead them all the way back to hunger for the Mass.
- Eucharist as a Source of Strength
As the two disciples recognized the Risen Jesus in the breaking of the bread, the sacrament of the Eucharist is now a new sign of the Lord’s presence. The road to Emmaus thus becomes a symbol of our journey of faith: the Scriptures and the Eucharist are the indispensable elements for encountering the Lord.
In the fourfold meal pattern Jesus performs at the breaking of the bread – the fundamental gestures of every Euchatrist, of taking, blessing, breaking and giving – Pope Francis sees Jesus’ entire history. In every Eucharist, the Pope insists, we find the symbol of what the Church should be. “Jesus takes us, blesses us, ‘breaks’ our life — because there is no love without sacrifice — and offers it to others; he offers it to everyone.”
Despite a fleeting one, Jesus’ encounter with the two disciples of Emmaus contains the entire destiny of the Church.
- “It tells us that the Christian community is not enclosed within a fortified citadel, but rather journeys along its most essential environment, which is the road. And there, it encounters people with their hopes and disappointments, burdensome at times. The Church listens to everyone’s stories as they emerge from the treasure chest of personal conscience, in order to then offer the Word of Life, the witness of love, a love that is faithful until the end. And thus, the hearts of people reignite with hope.”
Too often we go to Mass with our worries, difficulties and disappointments. When we are wounded in life, we sometimes go away feeling sad, turning our backs on God’s plan. We distance ourselves from God. In the Liturgy of the Word, Jesus welcomes us, explains the Scriptures to us and rekindles in our hearts the warmth of faith and hope, and in Communion he gives us strength. The Eucharist is our spiritual nourishment on life’s journey. Remember this well, the Holy Father encouraged: When you are sad, don’t take off and leave. Instead, when you are down, take up the Word of God and go to Mass and receive Communion, to participate in the mystery of Jesus. In the Word of God and the Eucharist, you will be filled with joy as you relive the experience of the disciples of Emmaus. You will “rediscover the grace of the transforming encounter with the Lord, with the Risen Lord, who is with us always. There is always a Word of God that gives us guidance after we slip; and through our weariness and disappointments there is always a Bread that is broken that keeps us going on the journey.”
Thus the Holy Father locates the secret of the road that leads to Emmaus: “Despite appearances to the contrary, we continue to be loved and God will never stop loving us. God will walk with us always, always, even in the most painful moments, even in the worst moments, even in moments of defeat. That is where the Lord is.” Have courage. Stay hopeful. The Lord is good.
Copyright © Dr. Jeffrey & Angie Goh, November 2021. All rights reserved.
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