Tonight we are gathering to continue with our meditative reading of Book Four of Thomas á Kempis’ The Imitation of Christ. Outside of John 6 (“I am the Bread of Life”), the gospel reading for last Sunday (Luke 24:13-35) gives us the deepest spiritual understanding of the Eucharist found in Scripture. There Luke tells us about Cleopas and his companion. They are disciples of Jesus who are fleeing Jerusalem for Emmaus on Sunday morning. (Emmaus being seven miles away was too far a journey to make on the Sabbath.) They had hoped that Jesus was the Messiah, but his crucifixion dashed that hope. Nonetheless, Jesus comes to them, but they do not recognize him. Even after he explains to them from the Scriptures that the Messiah must suffer and even though their hearts burned, Jesus still remained unrecognizable. It was only in the breaking of the bread, that they saw the true identity of their mystery companion. And so it is also for us that in the Eucharist the Risen Lord is most clearly revealed.
If you have the opportunity today, enter into the story of the Road to Emmaus. Luke 24:13-35. Read the passage slowly, reverentially, and expectantly allowing yourself to live into the story itself. Reflect on the part of the story that resonates with you, particularly its conclusion. Express to God how you have experienced the story. Rest silently with God allowing the Spirit to speak to you and bring you into the fullness of your reading and your experience.
Dinner is at 6. The menu is Asian fusion lettuce wraps. Meditations about 6:45. Compline at 8. Hope to see you here.
You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God.
1 Peter 1:18:21.