Dear Friends,
This Sunday, we have another banger of a Gospel: The Road to Emmaus! Two disciples are walking away from Jerusalem after the crucifixion. It’s not clear if they are leaving in haste, frightened, or walking slowly away in despair. As they discuss all that has happened, Jesus himself appears. They do not recognize him but repeat the story about Jesus: how he was a prophet; how he was betrayed, condemned, and crucified; how they had hoped he would redeem Israel. They go on to share that some women went to the tomb and were told by angels that he was alive. These two disciples seem confused, uncertain, traumatized.
Jesus then interprets all the scriptures that point to him. The disciples seem unchanged, and it seems Jesus is going to leave them, but they ask him to stay for supper. In a mystical moment, Jesus takes the bread they are about to share, blesses it, breaks it, and their eyes are opened. They say to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” Then they are encouraged, leap up, return to Jerusalem to share good news with the other disciples.
How a moment can change our memories, our understanding, our future, our faith, our hearts!
What God moment has changed your life, your vision, your past, your future? When has your heart been burning within?
I pray each one of us experiences a burning heart this Eastertide. I pray each one of us knows the risen Christ, the one who redeems our pasts and our pain, the one who lures us on into fellowship with one another, the one who inspires us to hope in and work for the dream God has for us.
One way All Saints has been lured into fellowship and the dream of God is through RCS, our food pantry, which is experiencing rising numbers of visitors as prices rise and SNAP benefits are curtailed. For over 30 years, people have seen our church and known that help, a hot meal, nourishing food lies within. On April 26, we will host the Ravenswood Run to support that vision, a run we began 30 years ago. In order to make it fun and successful for RCS, those they serve, and our neighbors who live nearby, we need YOU to volunteer this weekend to put up “No Parking” signs on Saturday or to flier cars on Sunday. Interested in volunteering on race day? Go here. Still thinking about running? The price goes up at the end of next week, so sign upnow!
See you in church!
Faithfully, Suzanne+
P. S. The Feast of St. Joseph the Worker is May 1, also known as “May Day” worldwide. As we seek a more just country, one where all are treated with dignity, where peace, not war, is pursued, where we share our goods so that all may thrive, we are inviting you to consider joining us for the May Day protest this year. See the article below about how to get involved.