Enimaus Experience as a Paradigm of Jesus Presence in Discipleship: Luke 24:12-35 A Challenge to Christian Life in Malawi
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Date
2002-02
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Tangaza University College.
Abstract
The crisis of identity among many priests, religious and the lidtliful in
Malawi has motivated the writer of this long essay to exploie Luke 24.12-b
order to get encouragement and insights from the situation of the two disciples
on the way to Emmaus. In this story, two disciples, Cleopas and his companion
are seen grieving over the death of Jesus Their hope and expectation were
dashed as they complain: "But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem
Israel (21a)."
Their disappointment is the reason of their sadness It was in this
time of disappointment that Jesus changed the situation of the disciples from
sadness to a wonderful experience when they recognised him in the breaking of bread (30-31). The objective of the study is to give assurance of Jesus' presence in our
discipleship whether as ordained ministers, professed religious men and women
or as the faithful. Many Christians have lost that zeal, which they had when they
were newly baptised, newly professed their religious commitment, or newly
ordained. Undergoing a crisis of identity, it may be found that what supported many
Christians for so many years: "prayer, worship, sacrament, community life, and
a clear knowledge of God's guiding love-has lost its grip on them. Long-
cherished ideas, long-practised disciplines, and long-held customs of celebrating life can no longer warm their hearts. Consequently, they tend to ask themselves
why and how they were so motivated."
2
However, what happened to the disciples on the way to Emmaus gives us
hope that Jesus joins us as we walk in sadness, explains the scriptures to us and
presents himself in the breaking of bread He is ever present in our 1k es and in
our difficult situations.
Therefore, we accept the Emmaus inn rative as
a paradigm of Jesus' presence in our discipleship. St. Luke is taken as ow guide
knowing that he will lead us along the road to Emmaus
The body of the Emmaus narrative is literarily framed by the theme of
recognition. It tells us how Cleopas and his companion moved from not being
able to recognise Jesus (24:16) to their recognition of him (24:3 1b). Like
the two disciples, the Lukan communities suffered from not being able to
recognise the risen Lord in the midst of their difficulties and persecutions
The experience of the two disciples and the Lukan communities is also
own experience. There are moments when we experience the absence as well as
the presence of Jesus in our lives. His absence causes perplexity while his
presence causes joy. It is when we are aware of Jesus' perpetual presence in our
lives that even his apparent absence becomes cause for joy.
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Keywords
Enimaus, Paradigm, Jesus, Discipleship, Christian