In yesterday’s DM, I ask whether human nature itself has been transformed by the Resurrection and Resurrection appearances. We do look for transformation of the shadow side of our humanity so everywhere present in headlines day after day.
Whether Putin’s war in Ukraine or the war in Sudan or the horrors in Gaza triggered initially by the despicable invasion of Israel by Hamas, human nature could surely use a transformation. A war on democracy raging in the United States, once considered the beacon and defender against fascism 65 years ago, is another example of untransformed humanity.
Jesus’ invitation to put love, justice and compassion first is good news if we could live that way and create institutors and cultural movements that guarantee a society structured on justice and care for the poor and oppressed in preference to privilege for the most powerful.
One of the powerful appearances of Jesus after his death happened on the road to Emmaus when two men were discussing the events of his death. Jesus joined them incognito and entered the conversation which included sharing interpretations of the Scriptures.
The two strangers were amazed by his insights, but what really broke things open was when, on arriving at their destination, they broke bread together. Suddenly they got the message: Here was Jesus. Here was the Last Supper reenacted and the words, “Do this in memory of me.”
Then he disappeared as rapidly as he had appeared hours earlier.
One can see in this appearance story the origins of the emphasis on what has come to be called the “Eucharist” or the ritual of remembering Jesus in the bread and wine. This way substitutes for apparitions of the risen Christ.
In a simple sharing of bread and wine, the Resurrection comes to us ordinary folk. The presence of Christ as teacher in the intimacy of food and drink is available to everyone.
Love, intimacy and the sacredness of eating takes on special meaning at this time when untransformed humanity is carrying on an immoral war in Gaza where over 33,000 civilians, many of them children, have lost their lives and starvation reigns for tens of thousand people.
On Monday, the Israeli military by all accounts purposely blew up cars carrying seven people from the World Central Kitchen mission, a team devoted to feeding people in distress.
To be continued.
Matthew Fox,“Holiness as Cosmic Hospitality: Creation Ecstasies Shared Constitute the Holy Prayer of Thanksgiving and Praise,” in Fox, Original Blessing, pp. 108-116.
And Fox, Passion for Creation: The Earth-Honoring Spirituality of Meister Eckhart, pp. 495-509, 531-545.
And Fox, “The Cosmic Christ: Redeemer of Worship,” in Fox, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ, pp. 211-227.
Banner Image: “The Risen Lord at Emmaus.” Stained glass window from the basilica of Saint-Pierre in Chartres. Photo by Fr. Lawrence Lew, O.P., on Flickr.
Queries for Contemplation
Do you see the Eucharist as an appearance parallel to those of the Resurrection? Does it bring forth from you the elements of courage and transformation that come with resurrection appearances?
Recommended Reading
Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality
Matthew Fox lays out a whole new direction for Christianity—a direction that is in fact very ancient and very grounded in Jewish thinking (the fact that Jesus was a Jew is often neglected by Christian theology): the Four Paths of Creation Spirituality, the Vias Positiva, Negativa, Creativa and Transformativa in an extended and deeply developed way.
“Original Blessing makes available to the Christian world and to the human community a radical cure for all dark and derogatory views of the natural world wherever these may have originated.” –Thomas Berry, author, The Dream of the Earth; The Great Work; co-author, The Universe Story
Passion for Creation: The Earth-Honoring Spirituality of Meister Eckhart
Matthew Fox’s comprehensive translation of Meister Eckhart’s sermons is a meeting of true prophets across centuries, resulting in a spirituality for the new millennium. The holiness of creation, the divine life in each person and the divine power of our creativity, our call to do justice and practice compassion–these are among Eckhart’s themes, brilliantly interpreted and explained for today’s reader.
“The most important book on mysticism in 500 years.” — Madonna Kolbenschlag, author of Kissing Sleeping Beauty Goodbye.
The Coming of the Cosmic Christ: The Healing of Mother Earth and the Birth of a Global Renaissance
In what may be considered the most comprehensive outline of the Christian paradigm shift of our Age, Matthew Fox eloquently foreshadows the manner in which the spirit of Christ resurrects in terms of the return to an earth-based mysticism, the expression of creativity, mystical sexuality, the respect due the young, the rebirth of effective forms of worship—all of these mirroring the ongoing blessings of Mother Earth and the recovery of Eros, the feminine aspect of the Divine.
“The eighth wonder of the world…convincing proof that our Western religious tradition does indeed have the depth of imagination to reinvent its faith.” — Brian Swimme, author of The Universe Story and Journey of the Universe.
4 thoughts on “Human Transformation, Emmaus & Efforts to Feed the Starving in Gaza”
The Eucharist is the sharing of the passion and resurrection of Christ in all of its compassion and glory.
“As ‘Love’ Acts, ‘Wholefulness’ Bears the Cross”
Our mind thinking with compassion.
Our heart beating with compassion.
Our breath and body engaged in compassion.
Our hands reaching out in compassion.
Our soul forever connected to compassion.
This is where our humanity and divinity meet in community together, in the sameness of compassion.
We are acting as the ‘Living God’ acts.
We are acting as ‘One’ in Spirit and Being.
We are acting as ‘Love’ acts.
We are acting ‘together’ within, in coherence, in ‘wholefulness’.
‘Wholefulness’ brings peace, brings joy, brings endurance in trying times.
‘Wholefulness’ bears ‘the Cross’.
We in turn bear ‘our Cross’ and hold on to it with a ‘Love’ that only compassion brings forth.
— BB.
The two disciples on the way to Emmaus, were they men? It could well have been two women or a man and a woman. Just wondering.
The Eucharist and Resurrection for me are Symbols of the LIVING LOVING COSMIC CHRIST PRESENT in All ongoing Co-Creation~Evolution in Our physical and non-physical Sacred multidimensional-multiverse COSMOS. Each Spark of Divine Creation, including our unique human Eternal Souls, are Sacraments of our LOVING SOURCE~CREATOR in LOVING DIVERSE ONENESS in the Sacred Process of the ETERNAL PRESENT MOMENT….
I was surprised to see the reference to “two men walking…” One is named Cleopas, the other is not. So often the story is depicted in art as two men or referred to in homilies as men and that influences our perception of the story.