ROAD TO EMMAUS
Relation of 'Emmaus story' to the Practicum1. The process of transformation that takes place in the Practicum program is based on the Scriptural account of the “ROAD TO EMMAUS”.
2. The Road to Emmaus (Luke 24: 13-35) On their way to a village called Emmaus, two disciples were talking together about all that had happened. As they talked, Jesus himself came and walked by their side; but something prevented them from recognizing him. “What matters are you discussing as you walk along?” he asked. They stopped short, their faces downcast. Then one of them, called Cleophas, answered him, “You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening these last few days.” “What things?” he asked. “All about Jesus of Nazareth!” they answered. Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish men! So slow to believe the full message of the prophets! Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory?” Then, starting with Moses and going through all the prophets, he explained to them the passages throughout the scriptures that were about himself. When they drew near to the village, Jesus made as if to go on; but they pressed him to stay with them. “It is nearly evening and the day is almost over,” they said. So he went on to stay with them. Now while he was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; but he vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, :Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us? They set out and returned to Jerusalem, where they found the eleven assembled together with their companions, and they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognized him at the breaking of the bread. 3. IN SCHEMATIC FORM, THE EMMAUS STORY PORTRAYS THE DISCIPLES AND JESUS IN A GROWTH-ENABLING ENCOUNTER, THAT MOVES IN SIX PHASES: PHASE 1 – AWARENESS OF ONE’S CURRENT SITUATION 1. DISCIPLES: On their way to Emmaus… talking together about all that had happened, something prevented them from recognizing him. (REFLECTION: The disciples… making their way through life, away from “Jerusalem” – bearing memories of fresh events that affect their present situation – unseeing, “blind”, unaware of the presence of Christ, unaware of the Good News) 2. JESUS: Jesus himself came up and walked by their side. (REFLECTION: Jesus himself… not anyone else, not a representative, but himself, in person;he “walked”, not ran, at their own pace, “by their side”, not ahead, not behind;he “came up” from behind, he had been following them; he joins them in their life-journey, they are not alone, he listens to their discussion.) 3. JESUS: “What matters are you discussing as you walk along?” (REFLECTION: Jesus asks them. He gently leads them to self-confrontation, self-awareness, self-knowledge; He does not get them to change the topic but focuses on their concerns, not his interests or concerns.) 4. DISCIPLES: They stopped short, their faces downcast. (REFLECTION: Jesus’ questions make them pause and reflect; they get in touch with their feelings at the moment – sad, troubled, bothered, discouraged, confused) 5. DISCIPLES: Then Cleophas answered him: “You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know… these last few days.” (REFLECTION: “Cleophas, not mankind in general, but a particular person) 6. JESUS: “What things?” (REFLECTION: Jesus leads them further – into themselves, into deeper and wider self-confrontation, into greater self-awareness.) 7. DISCIPLES: “All about Jesus of Nazareth…” (REFLECTION: The disciples start talking about people and events that matter most to them, that make up their world.) PHASE 2 – UNFOLDING OF THE CHRISTIAN MESSAGE, GOD’S PLAN 1. JESUS: “You foolish men! So slow to believe…” (REFLECTION: Jesus confronts them, points to the reason behind their present situation, their lack of faith) 2. JESUS: Then starting with Moses… he explained to them… the scriptures …about himself. (REFLECTION: Jesus presents his message: a biblico-theological deepening, the Christian meaning to the events of their present situation, the total meaning, in reference to Christ.) PHASE 3 – MAN’S RESPONSE 1. DISCIPLES: They pressed him to stay with them. “It is nearly evening… the day is almost over.” (REFLECTION: The disciples show concern: care, feeling of responsibility for the stranger, who has become a brother, a friend; listening to Jesus explains the Scriptures frees them from self-centeredness) 2. JESUS: So he went in to stay with them (REFLECTION: Jesus accepts their invitation; he enters their lives … abides in them) 3. JESUS: With them at table… (REFLECTION: Jesus eats with them; the meal shows fullness of human fellowship and brotherhood. He has accepted the most precious thing they could offer, their bread; they reach the limits of human generosity, but they still do not recognize him – “knowing Christ” is not a product of human efforts. Jesus accepts the best they could offer him; now he is ready to transform this gift and give it back to them as his own gift to them, transformed.) PHASE 4 – GOD’S TRANSFORMING ACTION 1. JESUS: He took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them (REFLECTION: Jesus “took…blessed… broke…” God’s transforming action. The transformation is totally God’s work made possible by our letting go of our “bread” and putting it entirely in his hands) 2. DISCIPLES: And their eyes were opened and they recognized him. (REFLECTION: The encounter with the risen Christ, from darkness into light; new eyes, new way of seeing.) PHASE 5 - CELEBRATION DISCIPLES: They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us…” (REFLECTION: At the end of it all they are left with the most precious gift: faith. It gives them new eyes to see his presence in everything, new hearts to love in a new way.) PHASE 6 – RE-ENTRY DISCIPLES: They set out at once … returned to Jerusalem… the eleven assembled. (REFLECTION: They return to Jerusalem – in joyful, celebrative mood. A joy that must be shared, a story that must be told, Good News that must be shared.)CHRIST IS THE REASON FOR THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE DISCIPLES, CHRIST WHO WALKS THE ROAD TO EMMAUS, CHRIST WHO PRESIDES “AT THE BREAKING OF BREAD,” CHRIST WHO WAITS FOR THEM IN JERUSALEM. THE SIX PHASES. The Emmaus Story is the ENCOUNTER DYNAMIC IN THEOLOGY 110 PRACTICUM. What happened on the road to Emmaus takes place each time the PRACTICUM is conducted. The disciples on the way to Emmaus are today’s College Graduating students. Jesus in the Emmaus story is today’s Teacher-Facilitator. With the six phases of the Emmaus Story as the model, the PRACTICUM may therefore be divided into 4 movements, known as the PASTORAL CYCLE. 1.EXPERIENCE – Phase 1. The student gets in touch with and becomes aware of himself/herself and his/her world. 2.SOCIAL ANALYSIS – Phase two. An analysis mediated by Theological Reflection which makes it Christian. 3.THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION – Phase 2 and 4. The student looks at his/her situation in the light of God’s design for man, as revealed in the person and Gospel of Christ. He/She experiences transformation in his/her total person: his/her outlook, values, and disposition. 4.REFLECTED ACTION FOR JUSTICE – Phase 3, 5 and 6. The student responds positively and concretely to the gospel message by re-entering in the community and celebrating the life with others in song, games, prayer, and etc. |
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