That very day, the first day of the week, two of the disciples were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, "What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?" They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?" He asked them, "What things?" They replied, "The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him." Then he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?" Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, "Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over." So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?" That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, "The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!" Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Little Johnny’s mother tells that the family had this great ten year old cat named Jack. Jack was a great cat and the kids would carry him around and sit on him and nothing ever bothered him. He used to hang out and nap all day long on the mat in the bathroom. Now Johnny was the middle kid of three.. and he was three.. his older brother was four and younger brother one.
Now when Little Johnny was three, he really loved chap stick. LOVED it. He kept asking his mom to use her chap stick and then he would lose it. Finally one day she showed him where in the bathroom that she kept her chap stick and explained he could use it whenever he wanted to but he needed to put it right back in the drawer after he finished because she used it sometimes several times a day.
That year, on Mother's Day, the family was having the typical rush around to try to get ready for church with everyone crying and carrying on. Johnny and his older brother are fighting over the toy in the cereal box. Mom is trying to feed the little one.. while at the same time putting on her make-up. Everything is a mess and everyone has long forgotten that this wonderful day is supposed to be about honoring mom and the amazing job that she does.
Finally she has the older one and the baby loaded in the car, and is looking for Little Johnny. She searches everywhere and I finally goes into the bathroom. There was Johnny. He was applying her chap stick very carefully to Jack the cat’s rear end. Johnny looked right into his mom’s eyes and said, "chapped..."
Now if you have a cat, you know that he is right - their little rear ends do look pretty chapped. And, frankly, Jack didn't seem to mind. And the only question to ask at that point was whether it was the FIRST time Little Johnny had done that to the cat's behind or the hundredth!?!
Little Johnny’s mother says that this is her favorite Mother's Day moment ever, because it reminds us that no matter how hard we try to civilize these glorious little creatures, there will always be that day when you realize... They've been using your chap stick on the cat's butt.
You ever think that God looks down from heaven.. shakes his head.. and asks himself, “You know… I buy them books.. send them to school.. so why is it that they are applying the chap stick to the cat’s butt.”
In our gospel reading today.. when Jesus catches up to Cleopas and his companion – who may in fact be Luke the author of the Gospel – Jesus doesn’t ask them why they are applying chap stick to the cat’s rear end, but he does declare that they are being a bit foolish…"Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?"
It is not a fact as to why Cleopas and Luke were heading toward Emmaus, but I have an informed and educated guess for you… they actually say it themselves… When Jesus asks them what they were talking about as they walked .. Not knowing that it was in fact Jesus who asked them, they answer him as though he has spent the last three days in a cave or something – three days in a cave.. three days in a tomb? Never mind… They say to Jesus that there was the greatest prophet Israel had ever known.. the long awaited Messiah who was going to free the people.. but that the chief priest had him put to death… Put another way.. “O woe is us.. all is lost.” …they are going home.. in their minds they are defeated and there is no point hanging out in Jerusalem any longer…. Even the direction they are heading is telling.. Emmaus is almost due west of Jerusalem.. the sun is setting.. the day is over and sun has set on the Messiah.. where they once walked in the light.. all is now turning dark… and it is then that Jesus speaks us and says, “stop putting chap stick on the cat’s butt… don’t be so foolish.. let me explain it to you.. let me show you how you are wrong.”.. and he does so in two very important ways… First, He opens the scripture for them and explains it in such a way that their hearts burned with in them… and second, he breaks bread with them just as he had done at the last supper – Word.. the explaining of Scripture / and Sacrament.. the breaking of bread – and in that instant.. they knew him.
They knew Jesus through Word and Sacrament.. just as we now know Jesus.. through Word and Sacrament.. and there is only one place to encounter both Word and Sacrament.. and that is in the Church… Archbishop Rowan Williams declares.. “The Church is the new creation, it is life and joy, it is the sacramental fellowship in which we share the ultimate purpose of God, made real for us now in our hearing the Word and sharing the Sacrament.”
My good friend Thomas a Kempis writes, “You have given me in my weakness Your sacred Flesh to refresh my soul and body, and You have set Your word as the guiding light for my feet. Without them I could not live aright, for the word of God is the light of my soul and Your Sacrament is the Bread of Life.”.. and these two life giving and soul lighting gifts are found only in our mother.. the Church.
And as part of our Baptismal Covenant.. we declare that not only will be take part in these gifts ourselves, but that we will share them with others… The question in the Covenant is asked, “Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?”.. and we answer, “I will, with God’s help.”
Through our Christian life we seek to live out this vow.. sometimes in small ways and sometimes in great leaps of faith… Today, we as St. ____ and the Pintler Cluster we have been asked to take one of those great leaps of faith.. today we begin a new stage in our life together as we continue in this process of becoming that “new creation”.. old things are passing away and new thing are coming… In this case.. the old thing passing away is the Pintler Cluster.. and the new thing – well, it has a much more impressive name – St. Joan of Arc Regional Ministry. The old thing as the Pintler Cluster had three churches.. whereas St. Joan of Arc Regional Ministry will have four…. You and I are becoming missionaries so that we may proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ… This mission field we are entering into is in a foreign land.. known only as Butte… the new church to join our happy union is St. Mary’s… and the first service in this new creation will be held on a June 5th.
I’m sure that this is a lot of information to process at one time.. change is never easy.. and this change will not come without its challenges, but I am confident that the Lord will be with us and guide us each step of the way… because this is not our church, but His. The things we do are not for our glory, but His… In addition He has made sacrifice for His church.. and so must we… It is through our sacrifice that we will be able to make Him further known to the world in His Word and Sacraments… In His Church.
I will do my best to keep you all informed on what is happening.. how it is happening.. and when it is happening, but if you have questions you are always free to call or write. Through this transition I asked for your patience as we smooth out the organizational details.. and your understanding, because we are doing this.. not so that John can have his own little empire in southwest Montana.. but so that we can all continue together in this ministry… Finally.. and more important than all that.. I ask for your prayers, because it is only through them that we will be fruitful.
Let us pray… We pray You, almighty and eternal God! Who through Jesus Christ has revealed Your glory to all nations, to preserve the works of Your mercy, that Your Church, being spread through the whole world, may continue with unchanging faith in the confession of your Name. Amen.
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