Rev Susan Galloway, Locum Minister

Our Road to Emmaus

Like many of us today, the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35) were at a loss and in despair over a world seemingly gone mad, seeing the foundational principles of the world around them being shaken to the core. The horror and shock of the Crucifixion had overwhelmed all hope and
threatened the teachings of love and compassion Jesus had
sought to instil.
Do the horrors of today’s world events overwhelm your sense of hope? Do the teachings of love and compassion seem lost in the face of war, global warming, racial hatred, refugee crises, and so many other evils? If so, then you are on that road to Emmaus.
Something happens on this road.
Christ joins the disciples, walks beside them, breaks bread with them, and opens their hearts with his word in a way that is so overwhelming, the world is no longer mad to them. The world situation has not changed at all, but the hearts of the
disciples have.
For any Christian, for anyone who believes in the resurrection and the
teachings of Jesus, our hearts must be overwhelmed by this same interaction with God on our own road to Emmaus.
Christ walks beside us today. Christ breaks bread with us today. Christ
opens our hearts with his word today in exactly the same way he did on that road
to Emmaus 2,000 years ago. His teachings are the same: Love God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. Love your neighbour and pray for your enemies. Forgive all. Welcome the stranger. Care for the sick. Visit the imprisoned.
Provide for the least among us. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
Nothing has changed, except now we are the ones walking the road.
This encounter on the road so turned the hearts of the disciples that they literally turned around, back into the fray, back into Jerusalem, back into the world.
So must we allow our encounter with Christ in others, in prayer, in sacrament, and
in the word to turn around our hearts today. We must allow ourselves to be so
overwhelmed by the revelation of a God of love that no fear, no evil, no suffering,
and no hatred can leave us in despair.
The choice is ours. You can continue on your road to Emmaus and stay
there. Or hear the Word, hear the Voice, and be overwhelmed by Love. Go back to Jerusalem, back to your passion, back to healing, back to a life to a world where love has the last word and life never ends.

With every blessing,

Susan