Connections

Goings and Comings . . . and Heartburn

The Emmaus Passage

The Emmaus passage in Luke 24 is one of my personal and professional favorite readings. This passage served as the scriptural image for the original Vision of Youth Ministry document, published in 1976. Jesus walking with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, asking questions about all that had gone on in Jerusalem, listening to their stories, explaining the Scriptures to them, and then stopping to break bread together—these images certainly provide a model and a framework for our ministry with young people.

However, it is the next several passages that I like personally. In breaking and blessing the bread, the disciples’ eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus, who then disappears. The disciples quickly return to Jerusalem, find their companions, and tell them all that happened with Jesus. And all because of that wonderful line, “were not our hearts burning inside us” (Luke 24:32). So, the first reaction to the resurrection was heartburn!

That line, “our hearts were burning,” has always been important to me. What happened that was so powerful as to cause their hearts to burn? What compelled these fearful disciples to return to Jerusalem to tell their story to others?

Heartburn

I think their hearts burned because they remembered! Their hearts burned because their experience of Jesus caused them to recall months and years of walking with Jesus, listening to his stories and teachings, witnessing his miracles, and knowing first hand the power and spirit present in the Christ. The Jesus who seemingly had gone had now come back. Memory is a blessing and has the power to cause our hearts to burn. We acclaim in liturgy, “we remember, we celebrate, we believe.”

Memory is a profound gift. The Emmaus story is repeated often. People come and go in our lives and our memory of them has the ability to sustain us, to renew us, and to make our hearts burn. Our memories, actively recalled, have the power to energize our work when we are weary, to lift up our spirits when we are frustrated, and to connect us with those not present when we are lonely.

Memories

I sometimes think of youth ministry as an opportunity to provide good memories for young people—memories of meaningful prayer and worship, of challenging justice and service, of creative catechesis, of relationships with caring, faith-filled adults, and of a community that welcomes and fosters their gifts. And I trust that these memories will sustain our young people in times of doubt, questioning, and disconnect. And I believe that these memories connect young people with the faith community.

Anyone in ministry for longer than a month has probably had those moments when we wonder if our ministry has any lasting effect. We wonder whether our work makes a difference. And on some level, perhaps we worry that we will not be remembered. Yet, Emmaus reminds us that memory is a gift.

Goings and Comings

The extensive news coverage following the death of Pope John Paul II illustrated the power of memory. Story after story of the pope’s travels, meetings with world leaders, confronting injustice and oppression, and gatherings with the young church at World Youth Days provided vivid and wonderful memories of his life and mission. Even in his witness to redemptive suffering and in going to his Father’s house, Pope John Paul II left us with memories to sustain us.

The staff in the national office had our own experiences of goings and comings in the Lenten and Easter seasons. We said goodbye to Theresa McCarty, to
Gary Morgan, and to Eileen Neves as they, too, went to their Father’s house. We were sustained by the concern and support of our friends and colleagues and we took solace in the memories of lives well lived. Our hearts burned because we knew what we were now missing, even as we rejoiced in the stories of their lives.

And we welcomed Molly Maureen Donovan who came into our lives on March 31. We pray that as Molly begins collecting her own memories that she has wonderful companions along her road, stories to tell, questions to ask, and bread to break.

Our hearts do burn in the goings and comings of our lives, trusting in the power of memory.