13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk? And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days? 19 And he said to them, What things? And they said to him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 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 happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.

What about me?

• Where am I spiritually?

• Let me come in touch with my feelings regarding this issue.

• Acknowledge your feelings and thoughts without judging them.

• Try to name them.

• Decide what you wish to share.

25 And he said to them, O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent. So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.

Hope…

• is not a prediction

• not just about possibility

• Is it worth even trying to do something?

• Things are going to get bad… that’s a fact.

• But, we are not good at prediction. Who anticipated the fall of the Berlin wall? And the Arab spring? What about heavier than air flying vehicles? The 2008 financial crisis? The weather?

• Progress is non-linear. We cannot anticipate the unpredictable.

• Christ’s Resurrection was not even imaginable, let alone predictable.

• And so was the effect on his disciples through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Hope…

• Christianity was not only “good news”—the communication of a hitherto unknown content. In our language we would say: the Christian message was not only “informative” but “performative”. That means: the Gospel is not merely a communication of things that can be known—it is one that makes things happen and is life-changing. (Spe Salvi §2)

• Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Heb 11:1)

• Faith draws the future into the present, so that it is no longer simply a “not yet”. The fact that this future exists changes the present; the present is touched by the future reality, and thus the things of the future spill over into those of the present and those of the present into those of the future. (Spe Salvi §7)

Hope…

• “Only the great certitude of hope that my own life and history in general, despite all failures, are held firm by the indestructible power of Love, and that this gives them their meaning and importance, only this kind of hope can then give the courage to act and to persevere” (Spe Salvi §35)

• “Let us say once again: we need the greater and lesser hopes that keep us going day by day. But these are not enough without the great hope, which must surpass everything else. This great hope can only be God, who encompasses the whole of reality and who can bestow upon us what we, by ourselves, cannot attain. (Spe Salvi §31)

Reflect and Pray…

• From what was said, what struck your attention more?

• Dwell on it in your heart… in silence… let it “simmer”…

• Talk to God about it.

32 They said to each other, Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures? 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon! 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Reflect and Pray…

• What do I feel is the Lord inviting me to?

• I dare to speak to the Risen Lord about what I am feeling even if it isn’t what I wish to feel.

Ecological Mercy

My eyes look and see misery in waiting
Extreme weather, mass extinction,
Drought, desertification, coral bleaching
And above all millions of climate victims and refugees.

 

My heart is filled with anger and sadness
Anger for knowing about climate change
and choosing money instead of life
Sadness because I feel powerless in front of all this.

 

Alone this is enough for despair
for giving up and burying our heads in the sand.
Pretending that it is not happening
and that we’ll fix it the way we created it.

Ecological Mercy (continued)

But there is another perspective,
a Christian perspective of hope
Not the illusion that all will be well
but trust in the all merciful God.

 

His Mercy is greater than all our sins
His patience and providence are boundless
He continues to send his messengers of hope
Without sparing us the consequences of our actions.

 

The loss will be great,
The future will be greater.
Our ecological sin is huge,
His Mercy is infinite.