04-02-24

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
April 3, 2024
It wasn’t until four years ago that I first learned that we had lost Emmaus. According to Luke’s Gospel, the first resurrection encounter occurred on the Road to Emmaus when two unnamed individuals encountered the Risen Christ, yet they did not recognize him until he broke the bread with them. According to the story found in Luke 24, Emmaus is a town an hour's walk from Jerusalem, so no more than 5 miles. Modern-day Holy Land tours have a place that they claim to be the Emmaus of scripture, but it is more like a day’s walk. Four years ago, archeologists claimed to have “possibly” found Emmaus, but not the one most people visit on Holy Land tours. Until that moment, I had not realized we had lost it.

I find this fascinating, as Emmaus was the setting for such a remarkable event in the life of Christianity. Pilgrims have been walking the Road to Emmaus for centuries, but if the most recent discovery is correct, they were walking the wrong road. What does this mean for Christians? In the whole scheme of things, I would suggest it doesn’t mean much at all. Oh sure, I’d like to know where Emmaus is located, but does not knowing change the heart of the story? I am inclined to say it does not. Yet the history of Christianity includes a lot of death and destruction over borders and physical locations. People not only wanted to be right, but they also wanted to claim ownership. This seems strange as I think fighting over a specific location might undermine the point of the Emmaus Road story. Jesus encountered two men on a rather ordinary journey, following them into their home, and bringing the Good News of life right where they were. Keeping the location of Emmaus mysterious might be a good thing, as it doesn’t have us looking for Jesus on an ancient map, but along the roads we are traveling—the roads where we are not expecting to meet Jesus.

I would love to find my own Emmaus Road without traveling to the Holy Land. I have a feeling that you are creating all kinds of Emmaus Roads, Merciful God, including right here in Northwest Harris County. Amen.