WALK TO EMMAUS:WALK TO EMMAUS:

From Heart-Breaking to Heart-Burning From Heart-Breaking to Heart-Burning

EMMAUS SONGEMMAUS SONG

Come journey with usCome journey with us

Walk with usWalk with us

Listen to our storyListen to our story

Our hopes, our dreams, Our hopes, our dreams,

Our struggles, our joys,Our struggles, our joys,

Our story of lifeOur story of life

We share with you as we journey,We share with you as we journey,

Jesus, our God.Jesus, our God.

May our hearts be warmed and strengthened by May our hearts be warmed and strengthened by your presence hereyour presence here

In your holy word and bread of life in the love we In your holy word and bread of life in the love we share,share,

May we go forth on our journey with you.May we go forth on our journey with you.

Come journey with us… Talk with usCome journey with us… Talk with usTell us of your storyTell us of your storyOpen our minds to understand the mystery of your Open our minds to understand the mystery of your

life with uslife with usYour risen lifeYour risen lifeJesus, our God.Jesus, our God.

May our hearts be warmed and strengthened by your May our hearts be warmed and strengthened by your presence herepresence here

In your holy word and bread of life in the love we In your holy word and bread of life in the love we shareshare

May we go forth on our journey with you.May we go forth on our journey with you.

Come journey with us… stay with usCome journey with us… stay with us

Make us one with youMake us one with you

In the blessing of bread… the breaking of breadIn the blessing of bread… the breaking of bread

May we truly know your life in usMay we truly know your life in us

Your love for us,Your love for us,

Jesus, our GodJesus, our God

May your hearts be warmed and strengthened by May your hearts be warmed and strengthened by your presence hereyour presence here

In your holy word and bread of life in the love In your holy word and bread of life in the love we share… may we go forthwe share… may we go forth

May our hearts be warmed and strengthened by May our hearts be warmed and strengthened by your presence hereyour presence here

In your holy word and bread of life in the love In your holy word and bread of life in the love we share,we share,

May we go forth on our journey with you.May we go forth on our journey with you.

(Monica (Monica Brown) Brown)

Reasons for Returning to EmmausReasons for Returning to Emmaus They failed to understand and believe in the Risen They failed to understand and believe in the Risen

Lord.Lord. They hoped that Jesus would be Christ—a political, They hoped that Jesus would be Christ—a political,

social and religious messiah.social and religious messiah. They failed in personal hopes… to be someone in They failed in personal hopes… to be someone in

the kingdom.the kingdom. Jesus was a mystery to them when he was alive and Jesus was a mystery to them when he was alive and

he is even more mysterious when he is dead.he is even more mysterious when he is dead. It was disheartening to see their master killed as a It was disheartening to see their master killed as a

common criminal. They felt a sense of shame and common criminal. They felt a sense of shame and disappointment.disappointment.

Reasons for Returning to EmmausReasons for Returning to Emmaus They failed to reach a consensus with other They failed to reach a consensus with other

disciples what to do next.disciples what to do next. They were foreseeing a religious persecution They were foreseeing a religious persecution

by the Jewish authorities, possibly a political by the Jewish authorities, possibly a political upheaval. upheaval.

Encountered disunity and poor leadership Encountered disunity and poor leadership exhibited among the apostles.exhibited among the apostles.

They failed to cooperate, listen and be united They failed to cooperate, listen and be united with other disciples who were equally affected with other disciples who were equally affected as they were.as they were.

Discipleship to MinistryDiscipleship to Ministry

Our ministry begins with discipleship. There is no Our ministry begins with discipleship. There is no ministry without discipleship. Being a good ministry without discipleship. Being a good disciples, that is, giving witness to the Lord is disciples, that is, giving witness to the Lord is already a ministry, because we minister to people already a ministry, because we minister to people through example and we mentor people through through example and we mentor people through our life of witness. Ministry is expression of our our life of witness. Ministry is expression of our discipleship – our love for the Lord, our discipleship – our love for the Lord, our experience of the Lord, and our commitment to experience of the Lord, and our commitment to the Lord. Our personal experience of the Lord the Lord. Our personal experience of the Lord becomes a foundation of our ministry. becomes a foundation of our ministry.

Discipleship begins or Discipleship begins or becomes authentic only when becomes authentic only when the disciple has a personal the disciple has a personal experience of the Master – experience of the Master – Jesus Christ. No one can Jesus Christ. No one can claim to be a Disciple if one claim to be a Disciple if one does not have the personal does not have the personal knowledge of the person he or knowledge of the person he or she is following or witnessing. she is following or witnessing. Our personal relationship Our personal relationship becomes the core of our becomes the core of our discipleship.discipleship.

The death and resurrection of Jesus was a concrete The death and resurrection of Jesus was a concrete situation when the disciples were given an situation when the disciples were given an opportunity to prove their love for the Lord and their opportunity to prove their love for the Lord and their personal experience of the Lord. It is being with the personal experience of the Lord. It is being with the Lord at a challenging moment. It is the test of their Lord at a challenging moment. It is the test of their love for the Lord. Mary Magdalene becomes a model love for the Lord. Mary Magdalene becomes a model disciple because she stood with the Lord at a trying disciple because she stood with the Lord at a trying moment. And Mary becomes the queen of Apostles moment. And Mary becomes the queen of Apostles because she stood at the cross silently sharing the because she stood at the cross silently sharing the suffering of her son, and not forgetting several other suffering of her son, and not forgetting several other challenges she shared with him right from the challenges she shared with him right from the moment of conception. moment of conception.

During her life time Mary Magdalene During her life time Mary Magdalene experienced the Lord that made her to look for experienced the Lord that made her to look for the “dead” Jesus in the tomb. She was the first the “dead” Jesus in the tomb. She was the first one to make effort to look for Jesus. one to make effort to look for Jesus.

During his ministry During his ministry Jesus already Jesus already recognized her great recognized her great love, her great love, her great attachment to him attachment to him and assured her of and assured her of her remembrance her remembrance until the end of time.until the end of time.

Jesus on his part made himself to known to his Jesus on his part made himself to known to his disciples in many ways. He too had a hard time to disciples in many ways. He too had a hard time to explain himself, make himself known to them explain himself, make himself known to them and keep them following him. and keep them following him.

He was not always He was not always successful in successful in letting himself to letting himself to known to them. known to them.

Or rather their Or rather their perception of him perception of him was marred by was marred by their own struggles their own struggles of faith.of faith.

The event of Journey to The event of Journey to Emmaus is a wonderful Emmaus is a wonderful experience of Jesus making experience of Jesus making himself to known to them as himself to known to them as their Risen Lord and his lesson their Risen Lord and his lesson to them on discipleship is to them on discipleship is remarkable and he was able to remarkable and he was able to commission them. This event commission them. This event becomes a model of Jesus’ becomes a model of Jesus’ Ministry.Ministry.

HEART BREAKING EXPERIENCE OF HEART BREAKING EXPERIENCE OF MASTER’S DEATHMASTER’S DEATH

English letter English letter DD has several saddest words – has several saddest words – disappointment, doubt, disillusionment, defeat, disappointment, doubt, disillusionment, defeat, despair, distress, distrust, dejection, depression, despair, distress, distrust, dejection, depression, desolation and death. All these words are contained in desolation and death. All these words are contained in the conversation of Cleopas. He pours out his heart to the conversation of Cleopas. He pours out his heart to a stranger who joined them on their journey. Their a stranger who joined them on their journey. Their disappointments were only aggravated by dispirited disappointments were only aggravated by dispirited and confused band of disciples who are still in the and confused band of disciples who are still in the shock of Good Friday. If only they were strong in shock of Good Friday. If only they were strong in their discipleship they would not have been pushed to their discipleship they would not have been pushed to this situation.this situation.

Disappointing DeathDisappointing Death

The disciples were given a dose of glory on the The disciples were given a dose of glory on the Palm Sunday when Jesus revealed to the Palm Sunday when Jesus revealed to the people of Jerusalem as the One who comes in people of Jerusalem as the One who comes in the name of the Lord, as one anointed like the name of the Lord, as one anointed like David their king. But in few days time their David their king. But in few days time their hopes were shattered. Their dreams did not hopes were shattered. Their dreams did not come true as they expected.come true as they expected.

Despair of DisciplesDespair of Disciples

Having their shattered they were scattered. The Having their shattered they were scattered. The disciples became leaderless, shepherdless and disciples became leaderless, shepherdless and pushed to a humiliating end. Now the reports pushed to a humiliating end. Now the reports that Christ’s tomb was empty did nothing to that Christ’s tomb was empty did nothing to alter their thinking; it only confused them. “we alter their thinking; it only confused them. “we had hoped that he was the one who was going had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel”.to redeem Israel”.

Despair of DisciplesDespair of Disciples

Human hope is a fragile thing, when it fails Human hope is a fragile thing, when it fails hopelessness set in. It becomes a disease of hopelessness set in. It becomes a disease of body and soul which is hard to cure. Only cure body and soul which is hard to cure. Only cure could be someone has to love them, care for could be someone has to love them, care for them, encourage them, and get them out of fear them, encourage them, and get them out of fear and desperation.and desperation.

Despair of DisciplesDespair of Disciples

They seem to say, “We don’t expect anything They seem to say, “We don’t expect anything now, we once hoped and believed, we had it, now, we once hoped and believed, we had it, this thing called hope, now it is gone.” These this thing called hope, now it is gone.” These two disappointed disciples could share all their two disappointed disciples could share all their misery to anyone who lends a listening ear to misery to anyone who lends a listening ear to them. Their despair was so deep that it hindered them. Their despair was so deep that it hindered their familiarity with the Lord. Jesus had their familiarity with the Lord. Jesus had become irrelevant in their life... Jesus had become irrelevant in their life... Jesus had become a past tense – They went on saying, He become a past tense – They went on saying, He was... He was... Now their mind ‘down cast’. was... He was... Now their mind ‘down cast’.

Jesus Style of MinistryJesus Style of Ministry

1.1. Relational MinistryRelational Ministry2.2. Biblical MinistryBiblical Ministry3.3. Vocational MinistryVocational Ministry4.4. Catechetical / Liturgical Catechetical / Liturgical

MinistryMinistry5.5. Christ ExperienceChrist Experience6.6. Discernment ExperienceDiscernment Experience7.7. Peer Ministry and Peer Ministry and

Community ExperienceCommunity Experience

Meet them where Meet them where they arethey are

Take the first stepTake the first step Listen to themListen to them Creating Creating

interpersonalinterpersonalrelationshiprelationship

1. Relational Ministry1. Relational Ministry

Challenge themChallenge them Interpret their life Interpret their life

events in the light of events in the light of the Gospelthe Gospel

Allowing Word of Allowing Word of God to animate our God to animate our ministry and the ministry and the Vocation InviteeVocation Invitee

2. Biblical Ministry2. Biblical Ministry

Helping people to Helping people to make mature and make mature and personal choicepersonal choice

Free to choose to Free to choose to continuecontinue

3. Vocational Ministry3. Vocational Ministry

Helping people to Helping people to meet Christ in meet Christ in EucharistEucharist

Deepening of FaithDeepening of Faith Liturgical MinistryLiturgical Ministry Building Eucharistic Building Eucharistic

Spirituality Spirituality

4. Catechetical Ministry4. Catechetical Ministry

It is the Lord !It is the Lord !

5.5. Experience of the Risen ChristExperience of the Risen Christ

We are merely servants We are merely servants of the Wordof the Word

Task AccomplishedTask Accomplished Sign of Trust Sign of Trust

6. Personal Discernment Experience6. Personal Discernment Experience

Go forth! Go forth! Sharing of Faith Sharing of Faith

ExperienceExperience We begin and culminate We begin and culminate

in our communityin our community

7. Peer Ministry and Community Ministry7. Peer Ministry and Community Ministry

Jesus Style of MinistryJesus Style of Ministry

1.1. Relational MinistryRelational Ministry2.2. Biblical MinistryBiblical Ministry3.3. Vocational MinistryVocational Ministry4.4. Catechetical / Liturgical MinistryCatechetical / Liturgical Ministry5.5. Christ ExperienceChrist Experience6.6. Discernment ExperienceDiscernment Experience7.7. Peer Ministry and Community ExperiencePeer Ministry and Community Experience

1 2 3 4Peer MinistryChrist Experience