"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 vanished from their sight."
- Luke 24:30-31
The above verses are taken from what commonly is known as the "Emmaus Road Story" found in Luke 24:13-35. It's a wonderful story of two disciples' encounter with the risen Christ. As done in other Gospels, this text describes the 4-fold action of Holy Communion: Take, bless, break, give. This action, which is witnessed each time we celebrate Holy Communion together, parallels Jesus' own life: He was taken in his incarnation (birth); blessed in his baptism; broken on the cross; and given in his resurrection.
Yes, I know it's not Easter, so why share this story? I share it as an encouragement, an encouragement to attend a Walk to Emmaus, a 3-day spiritual retreat. I attended Walk #127 in October, 1989. For me, it was one of the catalysts in my response to my call to ministry, and very formative in my life. More important, it opened me to the fullness of God's love and grace revealed in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. And, it called me into the awareness of the deep love that God has for each of us.
To paraphrase from What Is Emmaus? (from the Upper Room's Library Series), "The purpose of the Walk to Emmaus is to develop leaders for the local church." Now, please allow me to share my definition of leadership: It is any person attempting to live a Christ-like before others. It has nothing to do with being elected to a position within the church. It has nothing to do with recognized church leadership in any capacity. Simply, it's about being the disciple God both created and called us to be.
If you've not attended a 3-day weekend (begins on Thursday evening and ends Sunday afternoon), I would encourage you to prayerfully consider it. No, you won't be 'special' upon completion of the weekend, but your eyes may be opened in fresh new ways. To find out more about Emmaus, you can go to www.emmaus.upperroom.org. On the home page, scroll down to the bottom and under "Programs" click on "Walk to Emmaus." It will give you the information you need. Or, talk to one of your sisters or brothers who have attended. Or you can talk with me.
Participation on a weekend is not for everyone, but it might be for you. Check it out. Oh, and the next Men's Walk in the Kerr County area will be April 23-27, 2015. The next Women's Walk will be the following September. Treat yourself to an amazing weekend of worship, and prayer, and singing, and fellowship, and lots of food! You'll hear 15 talks, 5 by clergy and 5 by lay people. You'll come away with a deeper relationship with God in Christ, and a deeper understanding of your faith. It's a gift you give yourself. See you on the journey, and see you on the Emmaus Road.
Grace and peace,
Mike
November 9, 2014