Embracing Discord

The Journey to Emmaus

Luke 24:13-35

In 1969 I was in fifth grade, and I recall very vividly my social studies teacher telling the class that 10 years in the future we would all be wearing gas masks. To say that this conversation terrified me is an understatement. At the time, the country was in the midst of the Vietnam War, the Cold War was still a raging threat, and nuclear warfare was on everyone’s minds. Several times, in my elementary school years, we were forced to evacuate (all students and staff walked to the nearby fire station until the school building was searched and deemed safe) because of a bomb threat. Instead of earthquake drills we held regular bomb threat drills. Some families even built bomb shelters and stored food for an impending disaster. Nearly 60 years later, we are still plagued by the threat of nuclear war, although not from Russia but from Iran.

This past weekend at Mass we heard a very prominent Gospel story – the Journey to Emmaus. In the days after Jesus’ Crucifixion, some of His disciples were walking along a road when they came upon a stranger whom they did not recognize. The stranger did not seem to know of the most recent events, so the disciples shared with him the story, as well as their sorrow, confusion, and sadness. The disciples were confused. They did not know what or whom to believe. Some people said Jesus had died while others proclaimed He had risen from the dead. It was only after the group sat at a table to enjoy a meal that the disciples recognized the stranger to be Jesus.

The Journey to Emmaus is a powerful lesson for all of us. We no doubt are all confused, frightened, angry, or sad because of global events, particularly regarding the threat of war and the divisions between our faith and political leaders. Just like the disciples, we are perplexed and sometimes do not know what or whom to believe. But in our confusion, we must remember, Jesus is walking amongst us. He is in our midst as we try to sort out what is the truth. As in all things, Christ does not always reveal Himself to us or provide the answers we seek until we have done our due diligence. It is generally prudent to seek out opinions and ideas from diverse sources so we hear and listen to all sides. This is not always comfortable. We tend to associate with like minds. However, there can be no growth without discord. Only by examining and contemplating all aspects can we be confident in our convictions and defend our position, and only then we will recognize Jesus amongst us, revealing the truth.

This is an especially important practice to teach children. Parents, grandparents, and teachers should help them understand the importance of listening to other people who might have differing ideas, and to share their ideas calmly and confidently with those who might disagree. Debate, without malice or judgment, is a powerful skill and one that seems to have been forgotten. Perhaps it’s time to resurrect this lost art.

Deo Gratias, Kathy