Christians in Dialogue (2000) God: One of Us

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2 2 Leader's Guide... 3 Introduction ) Conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary... 6 Opening Devotion... 6 Study and Discussion... 7 Closing Devotion ) Who are you? Gathering Closing Devotion ) Jesus and the Canaanite Woman Prayer Closing Devotion ) Journeying to the Heart Introduction Opening Prayer Reflection Reflection Closing Devotion... 21

3 3 1. Gathering People coming to a group for the first time will often have some anxiety Will I know anyone? What will be expected of me? Did I switch off the oven? It is important to help them through this first awkward stage. Have all your preparations done well beforehand so that you are able to greet each person warmly on arrival, introducing them to one another, and perhaps having tea and coffee available. 2. Beginning A. When all have arrived get the session started by giving them a clear statement of what the group is about - Welcome the group who we are; why we're here; when we will finish. It might go like this: "Welcome to my place, and I'm delighted that each of you has been able to make it. We are a group of people from Churches gathered together to reflect and share our ideas on Ecumenism. Tonight we will be looking at Study One.. B. Then invite the members to introduce themselves saying: who I am; why I'm here; what I hope to get out of the program. Lead yourself by giving a short response to each of the three areas. Then invite each of the others to do likewise. Don t worry if some respond to only one or two of the areas. C. Then distribute copies of the program. Encourage participants to listen to one another s ideas with respect. 3. Opening Devotion A. You may wish to play some music quietly in the background and give the group a few moments to reflect on the opening devotion. Then call for volunteers to lead it. B. You might like to choose an appropriate song for the group to share. 4. Reflection on the Topic Invite a couple of people to read the teaching. Encourage the readers to pause between each section. 5. Discussion Allow a few minutes of quiet time to reflect on the questions. Encourage participants to share responses to each question but there is to be no pressure put on anyone to speak. Be sure to make some response to each speaker if only to say e.g. "Thank you John". This makes sure the participant feels that he / she has been heard. 6. Closure Thank the participants for their participation. Check to ensure venue is right for next session. Closing Devotion Cuppa

4 4 The Nicene Creed affirms: We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, be gotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. (English language Liturgical Consultation, 1998) What does incarnate mean? Derived from the Latin expression in carne in flesh, it reflects the teaching of John 1:14: The Word became flesh and lived among us. Having declared in the doctrine of the Trinity (AD325) that the Father and the Son are coeternal and of one substance, the church faced the question: How could the eternal Son, who is equally God with the Father, become human as we are human? Some suggested that the Son of God took on a true body, but no soul. The divinity of Jesus (the divine Word) replaced the soul, they said. Realising that this challenged his full humanity (How could he be truly human if he didn t have a human soul?), others affirmed his humanity in ways that virtually made the man Jesus a different person from the divine Word. Because this suggested that the divine Son and Jesus were two persons, other theologians countered by arguing that, in the incarnation, the human and the divine were fused into one nature. This matter was clarified when, in AD 451, the church declared that Jesus Christ is true God and true man, teaching that he has two natures, a divine nature and a human nature, in one person. The Apostles Creed, formulated at a time when the true humanity of Jesus was being challenged, strongly affirms his human nature: conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried. The Nicene Creed, formulated at a time when the true divinity of Jesus was being challenged, strongly affirms his divine nature (see opening paragraph). These Christians in Dialogue studies will invite you to reflect on the meaning of incarnation as it applies to Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Beginning with the biblical accounts of his conception and birth, continuing to consider the turning point at Caesarea Philippi, his encounter with a Canaanite woman and his post-resurrection interaction with two disciples on the way to Emmaus, you will have opportunity to explore what it means that Jesus Christ is God in human flesh.

5 5 The Queensland Christians in Dialogue Committee has prepared the material: Church Representatives: Sr. Beryl Amedee (Roman Catholic), Rev. Kaye Pitman (Anglican), Rev. Ken Hill (Uniting), Pastor Tim Jaensch (Lutheran). Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

6 6! Opening Devotion A responsive reading from Philippians 2:5-11. You will need a leader and two response groups. Leader: Response 1 Response 2 Response 1 Response 2 Leader: Response 1 Response 2 All: To sing or read: Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross. Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord, late in time behold him come, offspring of a virgin s womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail the incarnate Deity, pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel. Hark, the herald angels sing, glory to the new-born King. Charles Wesley ( ) Prayer Lord Jesus Christ, we thank and honour you for becoming like us, being made in human likeness, for humbling yourself and being obedient to death, even death on a cross. Let your Holy Spirit guide and enrich us as we search the Scriptures together and share our faith with one another. We join now with the angels of heaven and,

7 7 ultimately, with the whole of creation, to confess that you are Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Amen. Study and Discussion The first chapters of the Gospels according to Matthew, Luke and John offer fascinating insights into the incarnation. They explore the origins of Jesus of Nazareth, the unique God-man. Read these accounts together and share your points of view. Matthew 1:18-25 Matthew tells the story of Jesus conception and birth as Joseph s story. Joseph discovers that his betrothed, Mary, is pregnant, and assumes that she has committed adultery. But before he can follow through his intention to divorce her quietly, the respectable thing to do, an angel meets him in a dream and persuades him to change his mind. The fact that Joseph is addressed as son of David (direct descendant of King David) indicates that the child Mary has conceived will also be a descendant of David. The fact that it is Joseph who names the child shows that he is, legally, his father. Read Matthew 1:18-25 Note that Mary is found to be with child from the Holy Spirit (verse 18) and that the angel announces to Joseph that the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit (verse 20). What does this suggest to you about the divinity and humanity of Jesus? In verse 25 Matthew quotes Isaiah s prophecy (Isaiah 7:14) and names Jesus Emmanuel - which means God is with us. Discuss the meaning of this. According to the angel what does the name of Jesus have to do with his mission in life? What else in this story helps you to understand the incarnation? Luke 1:26-38 Luke, in contrast to Matthew, tells the story of Jesus conception and birth as Mary s story. The angel Gabriel visits Mary, a virgin pledged in marriage to Joseph, a descendant of David. He announces that Mary will give birth to a very important child. Mary is incredulous and questions Gabriel, How can this be, since I am a virgin? The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you, is the angel s answer. Read Luke 1:26-38 What does the virgin birth (or conception) of Jesus mean to you? How central is this teaching in your personal faith? How do you respond to the description of the Virgin Mary as Mary, the mother of God? What do you believe Gabriel means when he says of Jesus (v32), He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High?

8 8 When Mary queried the angel s message, he replied (v35), The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. For other New Testament uses of the word translated overshadow refer to Luke 9:3 4, Acts 5:15. What does this tell you about the way Jesus was conceived, and about his status? What else in this story helps you to understand the incarnation - God becoming human? What still puzzles you about this story in Luke? Talk about this. John 1:1-18 John does not include a story in his Gospel about Jesus conception and birth. However, in the prologue he makes some striking declarations about the Word, and the testimony of John the Baptist about this Word. What does he mean by this unusual expression? The Greek Stoic philosophers believed the universe to be pervaded by reason and they called this reason the logos ( word ). This expressed their deep conviction that the universe is rational. They did not think of the logos as a person, but as a principle, a force. They thought of this principle as one that runs right through the universe. It originated everything and directs all things. Everything acts in accordance with it. Even though John s original readers may not have been very familiar with Stoic thought, they would have recognised that he was referring to a being or principle of the greatest importance. Among John s Jewish readers the Word would have been a reminder of the creative and powerful word of God, the wisdom of God, or even of the person of God. It is also helpful to consider what the term flesh means in John s Gospel. He uses the word 12 times to signify humanity over against God, humanity in all its weakness and vulnerability. Read John 1:1-18 John writes in v1 that the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Then in v l4 The Word became flesh and lived among us. What does this tell you about the incarnation? What do you believe John means when he writes (v l7), The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ? In v18 John writes, No one has ever seen God. It is God the only son, who is close to the Father s heart, who has made him known. Who is this describing and what does it say about the incarnation? What other insights into the incarnation does this Scripture offer? What else here do you find difficult to understand? Discuss.

9 9 Closing Devotion A responsive reading from Colossians 1:13-20 Leader: Response l Response 2 Response 1 Response 2 Response 1 Response 2 All: To sing or read: He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in every thing he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Why lies he in such mean estate where ox and ass were feeding Good Christians fear; for sinners here the silent Word is pleading. Nails, spear shall pierce him through, the cross be borne for me, for you; hail, hail the Word made flesh, the babe, the son of Mary. William Chatterton Dix ( ) Prayer Lord Jesus Christ, image of the invisible God, firstborn over all creation, creator of all things, we praise you for your love, that you lived among us as one of us, making peace through your blood, shed on the cross. Our finite minds cannot understand how you can be at the same time fully human and fully divine. In the light of this mystery we praise you for your glory and treasure you for your saving love. Amen.

10 10 "# $ Gathering Go around the group introducing yourself as seen through the eyes of someone you know. For example: John Smith, the butcher from our local Shopping Centre. This is Mary Jones who is one of the pleasant customers who comes into our shop each week. She always buys bones for her dog. We like teasing her about it. Leader: An itinerant preacher and a band of men and women followers wandered around some of the areas of Galilee preaching about the realm of God, healing sick and forgiving sinners. His followers were growing, as were those whose power seemed threatened by his presence. One story was told of his even being able to calm the sea! A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Peace! Be still! Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith? And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? [Mark 4:37-41] Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? Some saw the Baptist, some saw Elijah, others a prophet from long ago Whom do you see today? A conversation reported between several travellers: Who are you? A person, just like all of you. But who are you really? A human being, just like you. I can see that! But they say you are more than that! Who do they say that I am? A prophet! John the Baptist... Elijah...??? [Mark 8:28; Luke:9: 19] You! The one who is noisy and always has an opinion! Who do you say that I am? You are the Messiah! The who?! The Messiah of God? [Luke 9:20] For goodness sake, don t spread that story around! [Mark 8:30]

11 11 A writer, probably quite a number of decades later, was trying to recount this episode to members of his community, in the light of happenings since the death of the traveller who had been questioned. He wrote: You are from below, I am from above; You are of this world, I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he. Who are you? Why do I speak to you at all?!!!!!! I have much to say about you and much to condemn; but the one who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him Who is he talking about now? When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realise that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me. And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him. [John 8:23-29] Is the central character in both writings the same person? Who was he? Why do you think there is such a difference between the descriptions? Are the writers trying to get over the same basic message? What is it? What is the message of the incarnation? Who is this person today? If you were writing to the people of the 21st century, how would you explain to them the identity of this person? What authority have you? Another question which was asked of Jesus was, By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do them? [Mark 11:28, Luke 20:2, Matt 21:23] In Mark, Luke and Matthew, the question was countered with another: I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven or was it of human origin? Answer me. When they couldn t without tricking themselves into displaying their injustice, Jesus said Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. When Jesus was on trial, the chief priests and the scribes said: If you are the Messiah (or Christ), tell us. Jesus replies, If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I question you, you will not answer. But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God. Are you then the Son of God? You say that lam. [Luke 22:67]

12 12 In John s gospel, again there is a different approach to the authority issue than that found in the synoptic gospels. The Jews said to him, What sign can you show us for doing this? (Overturning the money changers tables) Jesus: Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Jews : This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days? The writer, John, explains to his community But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. [John 2:18-22] Neither John nor the writers of the synoptic gospels is more right than the other; each was writing to a different community in a different context. How can people in a post modern age understand the authority of God in Jesus? How would you tell the story? To sum up the study for this week - How can we perceive the presence of God in Jesus from the writings we have in the scriptures? What actions, timing, words or music do we share in our various church liturgies which celebrate aspects of God s presence in Jesus, and Jesus presence as God with us today? Is the one more obvious and organised than the other? Closing Devotion As the group concludes the discussions for the day, use the following as a form of reflection, led by the convenor. Individual members of the group can share their thoughts (without discussion) where they feel moved. Leader declares: Jesus is with us! Leader: Where would you walk today, Jesus? Would you? Where would we meet you today, Jesus? Would we meet you? Where would we find you today, Jesus? Would we find you? Would we recognise you? Would we mistake you for someone else? Would we crucify you? Do we do it again and again

13 13 as with the unloved, the abused, the unwanted, the poor, the homeless? Where are you today, Jesus? Where do we look? Where people give themselves in Where faith gives hope and hope brings love That is where we see you today, Jesus. Together: Jesus our friend! May we continue to walk with you! Amen.

14 14 %& # ' Prayer Leader: All: Lord Jesus Christ, you are high above us in glory, seated at the right hand of power, yet you are also one of us, our brother, and you understand our pains and joys. In all the problems and pleasures of life, may we share our lives with you, as you have shared your life with us, our Saviour, who died our death, and rose to exaltation for our life. Amen. In a time of silence, think imaginatively about each line of this prayer. Close your meditation with this prayer, said together: Almighty God, who in Jesus Christ put yourself in our place, taking all our sufferings for your own; give us a compassionate imagination, to put ourselves into the place of others because that is where you are, O Lord and Saviour of us all. Amen. From your knowledge of the Gospels Did Jesus, in his earthly life, know everything? How did he learn things? Did he ever change his mind about anything? Do not spend a lot of time on this, as these matters will be raised in the study. The statement that Jesus is divine and human does not dispel the mystery of the incarnation. Rather, it is a statement of it. This study will focus on the human side, but we need to remember that we cannot speak of the human in Jesus without implying something about the divine in him as well. If we are serious in saying Jesus has a human mind it means his knowledge is progressive just as ours is: And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years and in divine and human favour. [Luke 2:52]. Jesus learns in exactly the same way as other human beings. If there are secret ways that God can use to communicate with human beings, then Jesus is limited to the same ways as others. He learns as he relates to his earthly environment. As his context changes or expands he is capable of responding in new and different ways. He can change his mind and set out in a new direction, yet be unwavering in his obedience to the Father.

15 15 We will look at a passage from Matthew to examine this. Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon. But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us. He answered, I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel But she came and knelt before him, saying, Lord, help me. He answered, It is not fair to take the children c food and throw it to the dogs. She said, Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters table. Then Jesus answered her, Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish. And her daughter was healed instantly. [Matt 15:21-28] Do you find this a difficult story? If so, why? Commentators on the text over the centuries have been struck by the reaction of Jesus to the woman, which at first sight seems out of character. Most have tried to give an explanation for this: Types of explanations: 1. The Test of faith explanation: Jesus speaks so strangely to the woman to put the genuineness of her faith to the test. 2. The Perseverance in prayer explanation: Sometimes in our need the heavens seem shut against us, but persistent prayer receives a gracious answer at last. 3. The Situation in the early Church explanation: Jesus is made to represent the earlier strict Jewish Christian position that the Church s mission should be to Israel only. There it is shown that the universal redeeming work of Christ, as foreshadowed here by Jesus himself, overcomes the barrier between Jew and Gentile. 4. The Psychological explanation: Jesus, on being confronted by the human need of the woman and her daughter, changes his mind about his mission and includes the non-chosen (that is what Canaanite probably means for Matthew) in his healing ministry. What does each of these explanations say about the character of God? About Jesus? Which explanation appeals to you most? Do you have another explanation? Notes about the passage: The word dogs refers to household pets. A different word is used in Greek for the pariah dog or street scavenger.

16 16 One Commentator says that here the woman gets the better of Jesus in a difference of opinion. She takes him on, and wins. Or rather, her human need is the persuasive argument that must prevail. (Benedict T. Viviano, O.P., in The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, 1990, p.659). If we strongly resist the Psychological explanation, and/or we are offended by the idea that Jesus is beaten in an argument, we may need to question whether we believe that Jesus is fully human, in every respect as we are, yet without sin. Was Jesus the kind of person who always had to win an argument? Picture this scene then. (The way this is imagined depends on the Psychological explanation. You might tell the story very differently yourself.) Just at sunset, Jesus and his small group of disciples enter a small Sidonian village, a place of five or six streets. Out of a small whitewashed house facing the street just in front of them emerges a woman, one of the villagers. She stands right in their path and begins to say, Have mercy on me, Master, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon. When they do not stop, she assumes they have not heard (but Jesus has heard) and she begins to shout. She follows them down the street, repeating her plea over and over, ever more loudly. Jesus stops and stands there, deep in thought. The disciples are embarrassed. The last thing they want to do is to draw attention to themselves in this foreign place. Some of the villagers are leaning out of their windows or standing in their doorways looking at them curiously. Several of the disciples, weary from their long walk, have had enough. Send her away! says one. Give her what she wants, so she ll leave us alone, says another. I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, says Jesus at last, in a quiet, musing tone. This is how he had thought of his God-given task from the beginning. All his efforts had been concentrated on this mission. Could he help this woman? Would this start some kind of personal mission to the Gentiles that would get out of hand, distract him from his real work? What was his real mission in the face of the need of this woman and her sick daughter, whom she obviously loved so much? The woman pushes her way through the circle of men and kneels before Jesus, looking up into his eyes and imploring, Master, help me. Speaking more to himself than to the woman or to his friends, he says, It is not fair to take the children s food and give it to the family dogs. She comes straight back at him with the reply, Yes, Master, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master s table. That convinces him. His decision is made. It is his Father s will that he should respond to a person in need, even beyond the traditional boundaries, which he had

17 17 not, till this moment, questioned in relation to his own task. He crosses the boundary and answers her: Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish. The story as Matthew tells it closes with the words: And her daughter was healed instantly. What part does the true humanity of Jesus Christ play in the formation of our own faith? How are we encouraged by it? Closing Devotion Prayer Leader: All: Almighty Father, ho held nothing back, but in sending your only Son to us you have given yourself without reserve for us all; grant that we may accept one another without reserve, and so welcome you in the name of Jesus Christ, our brother. Amen. Let us meditate individually on the story of Jesus and the Canaanite woman, using a variant of an ancient form of Christ-centred devotion known as the Sulpician Method. After quietening our hearts before God we imagine we are there watching the action taking place, perhaps from the point of view of one of the disciples, or one of the villagers, or even seeing things through the eyes of the Canaanite woman: CHRIST BEFORE MY EYES. We then reverently try to discover the mind of Christ by seeing the events from the viewpoint of Jesus himself, gaining insight into why he acts the way he does: CHRIST IN MY HEART. Next we return to our own place, and ask ourselves how the love and compassion and wisdom of Christ can find practical expression in our own lives in relation to others: CHRIST IN MY HANDS. Perhaps write down a few thoughts about each step. CHRIST BEFORE MY EYES CHRIST IN MY HEART CHRIST IN MY HANDS At the end, you might like to share some of your thoughts with the others. Close: Our Father

18 18 (& Introduction As the leaders of Churches and the young people go on pilgrimage to the heart of Australia let us journey with them by reflecting on the pilgrimage we are making by integrating the message of the Incarnation into our own heart. Let us recall again the meaning of the Incarnation. It is the taking on of a human nature by Jesus Christ. As we have all learned, the Son of God became incarnate, became human, while not ceasing to be God. This truth, again deduced from the words of Jesus and from the New Testament as a whole, is that one of the persons of the Trinity, namely the Son, at a given moment in human history, nearly 2000 years ago, became human like us, Jesus of Nazareth. Opening Prayer Leader: All: Leader: All: Leader: All: In the beginning, when it was very dark. God said, Let there be light And there was light (A lit candle, the sign of light, is placed centrally) In the beginning, when it was very quiet, the Word was with God. And what God was, the Word was. (An open Bible, the sign of the Word, is placed centrally) When the time was right, God sent the Son He came among us, He was one of us. (A cross, the sign of the Son, is placed centrally) A Reading from the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Vatican II) The Son of God... worked with human hands; he thought with a human mind. He acted with a human will, and with a human heart he loved. Born of the Virgin Mary, he has truly been made one of us, like to us in all things except sin. (S22.2) A Reading from John Ch 1:14ff The Word became flesh, He lived among us. (Pause for silent or spontaneous prayer) Together we pray: Open our eyes so we can see you Help us to listen to the Word

19 19 Open our hearts to your transforming love. We ask this in Jesus name. Amen. Leader Let us look more closely at how the human face of Jesus has been portrayed and how God has become visible so that we can be caught up in the love of the God we cannot see. May this reflection lead us to a deeper understanding of how Jesus is on pilgrimage with us every day of our lives? My Story: Choose either example a or b. Or Recall a time in your life when you paid a friend an unexpected visit. Before long you realised your friend was feeling rather dejected. So you began to encourage her to tell you what had been happening. A time of listening and sharing followed. When it came time for you to leave, your friend expressed her gratitude to you and said she was feeling so much better for having shared with you. You left thinking to yourself: What did I do? I listened to her. I believed her. I accepted her. I shared a little with her. I hardly said anything. Even so I was aware of her intense gratitude. You may wish to reflect on a time in your life when you were really feeling downhearted. Something had happened and you just didn t want to believe it or you just couldn t believe it. Quite unexpectedly a visitor arrived and you found yourself unburdening yourself to him/her. What happened? In what way was Jesus present in this encounter? Share with the person beside you or with the group only what you feel comfortable sharing. Leader Let us reflect on another encounter between two friends in the much-loved story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Biblical scholars and archaeologists are unsure of where the actual town of Emmaus stood. In fact there are three possible sites. However Luke presents the Emmaus story as a symbol of the universal journey of every follower of Jesus. Luke wants us to know that we don t walk alone. Jesus who we thought dead is now present wherever we are. Jesus is with us when we break open the Scriptures (as we are doing now), and whenever we come together to break bread to remember him. Jesus is with us when we welcome the stranger or encounter another person and when we are alone. Emmaus reminds us that there are times when we cannot recognise God s

20 20 presence with us until it is over. When we look back we are able to say, Did not our hearts burn within us? Let us listen to the Word Reader: A reading from the Gospel of Luke 24:13-17 Now on the 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 but their eyes were kept from recognising Him. 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 the chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover some of the women in the 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. Then he said to them. Oh how foolish you are, and how slow of heart you are to believe all that the prophets have declared. Was it not necessary for the Messiah to 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. Reflection It is easy to recognise ourselves in the dispirited disciples who walk along. How often have we said to ourselves, We had thought that things would have been different. We had hoped that Jesus would have set things right and rescued us. We had different plans. Jesus vision was crucified with him on Calvary. Or so it seemed to the disciples. Jesus had promised freedom and liberty for captive Israel. It now seemed a hollow ideal that could never be realised, never fulfilled. But God does not leave us alone. The stranger, the unexpected one, enters our life. And like the disciples, something prevents us from recognising the presence of the divine in the human. So readily we fall into discouragement or cynicism. Where is God? Doesn t God care? We might not say it but we can feel it. Where is Jesus today? For example - Do I believe in the continuing presence of Jesus in other people? Do others see Jesus in me? How does this reading relate to the encounter with a friend in trouble? (See above). Can I see any similarities? What are the differences?

21 21 For where two or three come together in my name, I am there with them. (Matt.18: 20) What does it mean when we say Christ has no body here on earth but ours? Let us continue with our biblical story As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if walking on. But they urged him strongly saying Stay with us because it is almost evening and the day is almost over. So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them he took the bread, blessed and broke and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognised 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? Reflection The disciples then step out of their insular world of disappointment and complaint by inviting the stranger to join with them for a meal. It is getting late. They invite Jesus to share their hospitality. As always hospitality is the doorway to surprise and gift, and the meal the building block of community. What starts out as a simple meal becomes something more. Jesus repeats the action of the Last Supper, the action we repeat in every Eucharist. He takes the bread, breaks it and gives it to the disciples. And they recognise him. Did not our hearts burn within?, they say. Jesus Hospitality, Blessing - Breaking Bread - Burning Hearts burning within us - Jesus in the Eucharist. What comes to mind when I reflect on these images? Do we meet the suffering Jesus in our own suffering? Are we able to reach out to the suffering Christ in other people? What needs to happen for our eyes to be open? Closing Devotion Leader Let us pause for a couple of minutes in silence to reflect on what has happened during this session. How does the Emmaus story touch the experience of our own faith journey? Share on a one-to-one basis or in the group. Let us pray together Just as the disciples were on their way to Emmaus, we too are on a journey. It is so easy for us to become discouraged. Increase in us the gift of faith so that we do become more aware of the human Jesus and how He is at work in our lives. Help us to see that we are the heart, the hands, the feet, the eyes, the ears and the mouth of

22 22 Jesus, so that we will become more sensitive to those in need and how Jesus works through us. We make this prayer through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Leader Let us close this series of studies in the way we began it, by praying a segment of the Nicene Creed. We believe in the one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father; through Him all things were made. For us and our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.