Story of Emmaus

Adaptation of the Story of Emmaus from Luke 24:13-35

Encountering Strange(r) Jesus on the Road to Emmaus: Reflecting on Luke 24:13-35

The first Sunday after Easter in my local Church tradition in India has always been observed as ‘women’s Sunday’ to celebrate the first appearance of risen Jesus to Mary Magdalene. Picking from that analogy, I have always called the second Sunday after Easter as ‘discipleship Sunday,’ to celebrate the later appearances of the risen Jesus to the rest of the disciples, to the frightened disciples, to Thomas and to the two disciples walking on the road to Emmaus. The present context of COVID crisis has uncovered the fractures within society, laying bare the inequity and intersecting of injustices with racialised and discriminatory responses to fear, disproportionately affecting the marginalised communities. In such a context how do we understand Christian discipleship, or to put it other way what does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ at a time like this today?

At a time when John Wesley was struggling in his faith with a growing misery to decide giving up ministry, he reluctantly attended a Moravian prayer meeting in Aldersgate in 1738, where he heard the reading of Luther’s Preface to the Epistle to Romans. When the speaker was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith, Wesley felt “his heart strangely warmed,” and found an assurance in the words of Christ. Many years ago, in the first century, as recorded in Luke 24:13-35, there is yet another incident where people felt their hearts burning, that was when the risen Jesus came as a stranger to the two people on their way to Emmaus interpreting to them the scriptures, their “hearts burned when Jesus was talking and opening scriptures to them” (32v). One of the experiences of encountering the risen Jesus is not only to have our hearts strangely warmed/burned, but also to be warmed/burned by a stranger. In the case of Wesley, he experienced his ‘heart strangely warmed’ not at his usual site of ministry but the then ‘other’ site of a Moravian Bible Study group. For the disciples on their road to Emmaus, it was a strange(r), the unrecognised risen Jesus who interpreted scriptures and they felt their hearts burning. As readers of this text since we already knew that it was the risen Jesus, who is this stranger here, we take for granted to understand that Jesus as a living Word is interpreting the text and so it will certainly end in something spectacular, in this case ‘burning of hearts.’ But for those two disciples, who were running away in fear, the risen Jesus remained to be a stranger till the very end of that day, till they received the broken bread from Jesus (31v). These two disciples were not taking a walk on the road to Emmaus as a leisure walk or a pleasure walk or as a fitness walk or as a reflective walk that most of us assume. They were walking in fear hurriedly to flee away from the Roman empire, perhaps thinking it will be their turn to be killed after their leader and also would have assumed that they might be blamed for stealing the dead body of Jesus, which was not found in the tomb on that Easter morning according to their women disciples.

I remember as a child, walking past a tamarind tree in our community at my home town in India, was one of the frightening experiences, for there were some stories that went around saying, phantoms lived on that tree. Everyone from an adult to the child walked either in groups or walked saying prayers aloud when crossing that tree. There were several terrifying stories that we have heard about that tree. Out of fear, when crossing that tree, we walked very fast, sometimes closing our eyes, only to praise God on knowing that we have crossed that tree. In that walk filled with fear, we hardly would have engaged in a conversation with any known neighbour crossing by, leave alone talking to a stranger. With that experience in the back of my mind, as I read our present text, I notice that the two disciples in this text were walking in fear and I can imagine the kind of speed with which they would have walked, for both of them are not walking in fear of a phantom, but in fear of a real-time monster, the empire, who are brutal in killing anyone that speak against them.  

To such frightened disciples, who are walking with a highest speed possible, walking away to save their lives, that this stranger join. To beat the fear out, both these disciples talk with each other, discussing with one another the things that have happened, as a strategy to distract them from their fear. When their hearts were filled with fear, they did not recognise who this stranger was and their eyes failed to recognise the risen Jesus (16v). Mind you, it is not me who calls this risen Jesus as stranger, but Cleopas, one of the disciples in this text who calls Jesus, “are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” (18v). Jesus was called as a stranger because, the two disciples assumed that Jesus is the only one that did not know the things that has happened there. Jesus was called a stranger because they assumed that Jesus did not know the story that they knew or the rest of their town knew. It is interesting to note how could these disciples who were walking in fear, in a hurry, could accommodate a stranger to join with them and engage in a conversation with them. Perhaps, that quality characterises who a disciple of Jesus is, the one who accommodates and engages in a conversation with a stranger, even when he/she is walking in fear.

Then, we see Jesus, the stranger, listening to all the disciples known-story about the things that has happened. On hearing their perspectives and reflections on what has happened till then, Jesus, the stranger, now exposes their slowness at heart in believing and understanding of the texts they have read and heard about (25,26v). Jesus, the stranger then interprets to them starting from Moses to all the prophets about himself in all the scriptures (27v). It is important to note that the disciples who were walking in fear allowed a stranger to interpret their scriptures to them. Isn’t this strange? How can a stranger interpret their texts and point about himself (a stranger) in their texts? The disciples who spent their time in ministry with Jesus, listening to his words and parables, learnt generosity in listening to the perspectives of the ‘other.’ Jesus, the stranger, shared his interpretations of their religious texts and the hearts of these disciples burned on hearing from Jesus, the stranger. Discipleship calls for an openness to listen to a stranger, for the divine word of God can come from a stranger. To put it other way, discipleship is a call to locate and recognise the divine in a stranger.

When the two disciples heard the strange(r) Jesus interpreting all the things in their scriptures about a stranger (himself at this point), as an indicator of their ‘hearts burning’ experience, they offered hospitality to the stranger Jesus to stay at their home (29v). In that act of strange(r) hospitality to a stranger who they found on their walk, the disciples provided the stranger Jesus accommodation and food at their table. Only on receiving the broken bread given by this stranger Jesus, that their eyes were opened and they recognised that it was risen Jesus. The moment they recognised it was risen Jesus, he vanished from their sight (31v). The sudden disappearance of risen Jesus from their sight is illustrative to explain that Jesus is constantly on the move to be present with people who are walking in fear, doubt, and everything in between. According to Paul Jesus appeared to more than 500 people (I Cor15:6), and I think the risen Jesus would have gone to journey with the rest of the people who are walking in fear and doubt. This is a reassurance to each of us to realise that Jesus is journeying with us in these our times of uncertainty and anxiety, and is willing to work with us in caring for everyone equally. The mission of the risen Jesus is in allowing his disciples to recognise the divine in a stranger and to offer hospitality to a stranger, for in such acts the risen Jesus comes alive. It was their actions of accepting the stranger to interpret their scriptures and in offering hospitality to the stranger that the disciples read back in retrospect to recognise that their ‘hearts were burning’ (32v). Actions of hospitality to strangers precedes burning of hearts experience.

As I read this text in the context of present COVID crisis, it is important to recognise that this stranger Jesus is coming to us in opening our eyes and hearts to truly see the reality around us. Outbreaks often create fear, and fear is one of the key factors for xenophobia (fear of stranger) and racism to thrive and spread. COVID is not merely a medical issue, it is a racial justice issue requiring justice solutions, which begins by overcoming the ‘othering’ by offering hospitality. Infectious diseases in history have been associated with ‘othering.’ In the recent past, discrimination on Chinese people have increased, (mis)branding and othering them as the cause of this pandemic is very unsolicited. (Mis)branding Muslim community as the ones spreading the virus in India is very unfortunate and inhuman. Black and Asian Ethnic Minority communities are more vulnerable to severe illness to COVID because they are more likely to be among the poorest socioeconomic groups, living in insecure and overcrowded housing and in low paid and precarious essential work.

These stranger communities today need the disciples of Jesus to stand with them in overcoming ‘othering’. These stranger communities lament that the pain of this virus is not shared equally, and call us as they need the disciples of Jesus Christ whose hearts are burning with a commitment in offering hospitality to the strangers. In the context of lockdown at our own homes, Christian discipleship calls us to support those stranger communities who are homeless and poor through initiatives like New Pantry Friendship Scheme to avert food shortages of the Church Action on Poverty. It is time to build Easter communities, where othering the stranger is overcome by building friendships and love. Gospel comes from the stranger communities, and we are called to celebrate the contributions of Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority groups, by being open to their perspectives, their reflections and their actions of love for our multicultural society today. The divine is around us in and among our stranger communities, may we experience the ’burning of our hearts’ by welcoming and offering hospitality to the stranger communities today. Hospitality today is in respecting the stranger communities’ contributions, in advocating for adequate housing, employment and health care and in supporting communities on lower income groups. Hospitality today is in joining the Debt Jubilee campaign of the Christian Aid in voicing for debt cancellations to poorer countries who can then spend it on public health and protection of their people. Hospitality today is voicing for global cease fire, for communities in conflict are at increased risk from this virus whilst war continues. By such acts of hospitality, we can experience ‘the burning of our hearts’ today.

By the way, you might be wondering what has happened to the tamarind tree at my home town, which I mentioned earlier on. This tamarind tree, which once frightened us, fell to the ground in the recent past due to a cyclone, and people now walk fearlessly and in more confidence in walking together.                                

Rev. Dr. Raj Bharat Patta, 

23^rd April 2020

Pics courtesy: 

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/428264245794836524/

https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/and-he-disappeared-out-their-sight-23637

The Risen Lord 2020 - Peace be with you

Relevance of Resurrection in the context of COVID: Easter 2020

This image drawn by Rev. Caroline Beckett[1] captures the Good Friday moments of 2020, which I have called it as “Crucified COVID Christ.” Here we see Jesus as a COVID infected person on ventilators lying in an intensive care hospital bed. Caroline has drawn this image so well, that she recognises that the world we live in today is an infectious space and captures this image of Covid Christ on the Cross, bringing in the relevance of Jesus’ crucifixion for our times. She also has drawn two women with their masks on, with social distancing to one another, weeping at the foot of this COVID cross, weeping and grieving for the dying Covid Christ. Many thanks to Caroline for this powerful public contextual Christological imaging, making Jesus relevant for our times today in 2020.

As I meditate on this image on this Holy Saturday, which I call better Saturday (as it is interspersed between Good Friday and Best Sunday, Easter Day), for there is silence behind and hope ahead, the resurrection of Jesus Christ becomes so meaningful and relevant for us. Allow me to stretch this image of Caroline to imagine that this Crucified Covid Christ died on Good Friday and was buried, and laid in the tomb on this better Saturday, for God raised this Christ back to life on the Easter day. The message of Easter is a message of hope to the entire creation today. That by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the sting of death was broken, the root of Coronavirus is addressed and the lockdown is unlocked, calling the creation for a celebration of hope, new life and a new creation. God raised this crucified Christ as a first fruit (I Cor 15:20), promising resurrection to everyone after him.

As a risen Christ, he comes first to Mary consoling her as she was weeping and worrying, and in that encounter when she hears the voice of the Lord in her calling the name, she turns her fears to wonder and witness. Mary Magdalene represents all those weeping for the loss of their dear ones due to this virus and finds solace and comfort on hearing the voice of the risen Christ, inviting us to seek such comfort in the risen Lord. In asking Mary, why are you weeping? Jesus in a way was conveying to Mary when I have taken the virus on me, why are you still weeping? The risen Jesus Christ appeared to Mary as a counter-infectious risen Lord, for she went and told the men disciples that “I have seen the Lord.” In the context of Covid, when Mary recognises the voice of Jesus, for me that risen Jesus was a counter-infectious Lord, for he joins with the rest of the community in creating a new creation. By counter-infectious i mean to say that God in Jesus is working along with the Easter community in countering the infection to transform the world by offering hope, care, peace and love. 

It is instructive here to realise that God is not trying to fix the world through this pandemic, and this can be further understood when Keller invokes the togetherness of all in the community to transform this given situation. Keller says, “But each, only in our all-togetherness — human, animal, vegetable, mineral. That togetherness takes on new meanings now, in all the layers of planetary interdependence, deadly or benign, oppressive or just, at home or in public. Now, as we learn that social distance does not mean separation, right in the midst of catastrophe, that Spirit might turn you, turn me, turn us together — into catalysts of transformation. We might not fix much that is already too badly broken. But in a new, dark hopefulness, might we become creative collaborators? Even with the Creator, the one who triggers the simplest matter and the subtlest minds to new creation? This is not a story of top-down creating. This new creation comes as we cooperate with each other and with the divine source of every other.” [2] On encountering the risen Jesus, Mary became a channel of carrying that counter-infection of hope, in collaborating with Jesus in sharing that news with the rest of the disciples. This counter-infectious hope that risen Jesus shared became viral and infectious that several people in history and in our world today join in transforming our world.

This counter-infectious risen Jesus then appears to the men disciples who have been under lock down at their home due to the fear of the Empire. These bunch of men disciples today represent all those who have been isolated and are living under lock down situations due to this Coronavirus, for this risen Jesus appears to them and proclaims at three times “peace be with you,” which conveys that these disciples are in need of peace to that extent. In our self-isolations, the risen Lord appears at our own homes to share his peace, a counter-infectious resurrection peace. Isn’t this a message of hope for us today?

This counter-infectious risen Jesus appears to the two disciples walking on the road to Emmaus, who have been walking frustrated and disappointed with the happenings at Jerusalem on the Good Friday. These two disciples represent today those frustrated and disappointed people who are not finding hope amidst this virus, as they are not able to do things that they have normally would have done. This risen Jesus appears to them and opens their hearts, eyes and minds to the hope in Christ, and joins them in eating with them, offering hope and comfort.

This counter-infectious risen Jesus appears to Thomas, who was doubting and questioning, inviting him after that imposed social-distancing to touch his wounds to find that the virus is defeated. Thomas represents for me those people, despite social-distancing have to touch the wounds of people in treating them, in nursing them and in caring for them. On touching this counter-infectious risen Jesus Christ in the infected person, they like Thomas are exclaiming ‘My Lord and my God,’ testifying to the healing of people.  

In the context of this virus, there are many stories of positivity that are being shared as counter-infectious stories of hope. After being tested positive for this virus and living in quarantine, there are many people who have shared their stories of recovery and healing, in such acts I see the relevance of resurrection today, as a counter-infectious act. Communities are today forming as groups to support one another, specially the vulnerable and there has been an increased neighbourliness among people, in which acts I see the relevance of resurrection as a countering the infection together as communities. Doctors, nurses, carers, cleaners, people working at super markets and all other key workers who are risking their lives and are striving to save the lives of the people today, in such acts I see the relevance of resurrection today, for the counter-infectious risen Christ comes alive in their actions. Out of their lockdowns and isolations, when people are trying to be creative with their walking, singing, playing music, cooking different recipes, pitching tents in their gardens, paintings, calling one another by phones, gatherings on zoom, online prayers, participating in virtual faith spaces and discussions, sending e-greeting cards, street whats-app groups, partying on zoom etc., the relevance of resurrection comes alive today, for people are trying to overcome the virus by creating counter-infectious spaces at their own places. In short, the relevance of resurrection today is for us as communities to be and becoming counter-infectious spaces, offering hope like the risen Jesus, sharing peace, collaborating with risen Jesus and by caring for one another. Resurrection of Jesus Christ is real, and all who join with such a counter-infected risen Jesus can offer real hope to this world living in hopelessness.

If Caroline has to draw the image of a counter-infectious risen Jesus, I am sure she would draw it with risen Jesus in collaboration with others striving to heal and share peace with one another. This is just a thought (from my own subjectivity of subalternity), she might again surprise us with a more relevant image. We will wait for that image of the counter-infectious risen Jesus Christ.

Let me conclude with the words of Caroline, “The Covid19 pandemic is a terrible thing. Unspeakable sorrows are playing out hour by hour across our world. But God has always brought light from darkness, faith from despair, life from lifelessness, good from wrong. Whatever this season is, it will pass and become another part of that long story of the people of God. It is not the end but a chapter for us to live well in love. Let’s do that.”[3] The final image I want to leave you with is from Caroline again, a relevant one for our Holy Saturday[4].

May the hope of Jesus resurrection grant us strength to be part of counter-infectious spaces in sharing peace, healing and love with our world today.

Rev. Dr. Raj Bharat Patta

11^th April 2020

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[1] https://twitter.com/deaconsamtaylor/status/1248493636167143426

[2] Catherine Keller, A Letter from Catherine Keller,” https://medium.com/@dostlund_42808/a-letter-from-catherine-keller-1930029c4914

[3] https://workplayrestpray.wordpress.com/2020/04/11/easter-in-lockdown/

[4] https://twitter.com/RevCBeckett/status/1248683752223649795

Caroline writes this commentary for this image, “God. Died. Let that sink in. There's no depth of misery, fear, pain or darkness God has not known, lived, claimed, embraced & healed. God shrinks from no part of us. This is the length, breadth, depth & height of God's love for us. However dark your path, God is on it with you.”

Easter Telugu Song

https://youtu.be/1KfsaH1uqVs

Celebrating hope in the resurrection of Jesus Christ as he is risen alive defeating death and darkness. He is risen to drive away the fears of people and to grant life to all those who are living in lifeless situations. Come join in celebrating the Risen Jesus to share hope in our world filled with hopelessness - This song is an invitation in joining with Jesus in sharing peace and hope to the world.

I Thirst - Reflection on Jesus' 5th Word on the Cross - 2020 - Raj Patta

Maundy Thursday in the context of COVID - Patta