Transitional Musings
“When he was at table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.” - Luke 24:30-31
Dear Friends:
It is hard to believe my time with you has come to an end. Last week’s reception was lovely, and the notes written by you touched my heart deeply. The vestry’s gift of the framed print of the Walk to Emmaus will be cherished and will always be a reminder of our walk together through this part of St. Luke’s history.
In the story of the walk to Emmaus, two disciples are walking and talking about the events surrounding the crucifixion. They are heartbroken that the one they loved has left them. They truly do not know what they are going to do. Their grief is crushing and all consuming. Jesus walks with them unrecognized. He asks the reason for their grief and they tell him. He in turn opened up the scripture to them, reminding them that from the beginning, Moses and the prophets all pointed to this time as God’s fulfilled promise. And then, a little while later, Jesus joins them in a meal and as he takes, breaks, blesses and gives them bread, “their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.”
My hope is that during our walk together over this past year Jesus was made known to each of us in the breaking of the bread. We came together strangers; we leave one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. We have been companions on the Way. The English word companion comes from the Latin com, meaning “with” and panis meaning “bread.” A companion is someone with whom bread is shared. Thank you for sharing the bread, Christ’s body broken for each of us, and the holy cup of Christ’s blood with me.
May our eyes be continually opened to God’s love for the world in Jesus and may we love one another more deeply and more completely as a result of coming together in this community of St. Luke’s Church.
It has been my privilege to serve God alongside you and I am very excited to see what God has planned for this new chapter in St. Luke’s life. May God richly bless you all.
Your sister and servant in Christ,
Doris+