The Emmaus story is one of the most significant narratives in the New Testament. It is here that Luke tells the story of a journey: how a stranger joined two forlorn travelers on the road from Jerusalem; how he listened to them tell of the death of Jesus of Nazareth as the death of Israel's hopes; how he responded to their story by opening the Scripture and revealing to them the mystery of the passion; how he accepted their offer of hospitality to stay with them; how he revealed himself as the risen Lord in the breaking of the bread.1
On the road to Emmaus, are the two dejected and
disillusioned followers of Jesus, turning their backs on Jerusalem and
the sad events of Christ's death. Their hopes in Jesus as a political liberator
had been dashed to the ground: "But we had hoped that he was the one
to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since
this happened" (Lk 24:21). For the two, as well as for the
other followers of Jesus and many Jews, Jesus had become a "cargo
cult leader," one who would miraculously and efficiently free the
country from the oppression of the Romans. No doubt there had been some
kind of conversion to Jesus, but their cultural prejudices blinded them
to the fullness of the Truth: "But their eyes were kept from recognizing
him" (Lk 24: 16). It is in this situation that Jesus meets
them. He meets them at their point of need. He joined them in their journey
of disappointment. They in fact sensed this empathy and so talked
freely of their sorrow. At the same time Jesus felt that they appreciated
His deep interest in them, so much so that He could speak quite directly
to them: "O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the
prophets have spoken!" (Lk 24:25). Then He explained to them
once more the salvation story and how it was ordained that "the Christ
should suffer... and enter into his glory" (Lk 24:26). Once
more he summons them to fullness of realization in the Truth. But, still,
even after the brilliant exposition they did not recognize Him. Prejudices
die very slowly.2
On the journey, Jesus summons them
to a deep realization. However, together with it, respect, patience
and understanding are strongly and constantly felt. He uses no force
in order to bring about their growth. They need more time for His
Words and their experience of Him to be pondered over. They are the ones
who must freely assent to Him and He respects this freedom. The narrative
records that Jesus "appeared to be going further" (Luke 24:28),
but they pressed him to stay with them: "they constrained him, saying,
"Stay with us,..." (Lk 24:28-29). As a result of their
freely offered invitation, Jesus "went in to stay with them"
(Lk 24:29) and by His presence He would once more summon them to
a fuller realization of the Truth. And this took place finally at the table
of Communion when "he took the bread and blessed, and broke
it, and gave it to them" (Luke 24:30).
The Emmaus story is indeed rich in formation symbols for today's men and women of God. First, there is the image of growth as a process or a journey of discovery; it involves the liberation from one's pocket of pain and let grow his own inner life-force. Jesus does not force nor hurry them, but gives them space and time for a free response. So also will formators. They must give their candidates space and time to ponder Christ's call and its implication in their lives. Candidates in order to grow into what was cut out for them by the Father need maximum freedom. There cannot be undue pressure from the formation process or the formators. Formators therefore require gifts of knowledge, patience and empathy, throughout the journey of growth they make with their candidates.
Indeed, as the geographical journey moves from Jerusalem to Jerusalem, the inward journey of growth moves from desolation to hope, from blindness to recognition, from bewilderment to understanding, and from death to life. It is a journey-together towards being fully human, fully alive.
2
Cf G. A. ARBUCKLE, Strategies for Growth in Religious Life.
New York, Alba House 1987, p. 231.