The Emmaus Experience
Fr. Arul Kumar, SDB, NET-In
It is a wakeup call to the local church to
participate in the universal Church.
It is a call to personal conversion and
transformation.
Synodal church is a journey wherein
couples are called to participate in building up the church. “Encounter,
listen and discern” are the three themes given by the Holy Father to
bring the synodality in the church. As couples who are part of Marriage
Encounter programme, we are going to encounter lots more couples in
our life. We have to encounter them like Jesus, listening to them with a
open heart and open mind. Only then we can be part of the discernment
that they make and we can enter into their lives through prayer and
dialogue. It is the spiritual journey that we are going to make together as
Marriage Encounter Teams.
Emmaus experience of the disciple is the model for us. In the
Emmaus experience, Jesus walked with the disciples and listened to
them attentively. He never judged them, never intervened while
sharing and never imposed his thoughts. He was a co-traveller with an
open heart, mind and eyes. And, this made the disciples invite Jesus to
stay with them. Later, while breaking bread, they identify Jesus and get
back to normal life. This encounter of Jesus which became the source of
new life is the outcome of the deep listening of Jesus and made them to
discern better for their lives. Our life in the family and in the church is
like the Emmaus journey where couples walk with the Church and find
meaning for their life. This takes place when Synodality is practised in
every home where couples encounter, listen and participate in
everything of their life. The spirit of synodality has to enter every home
and in the lives of every couple. This is the challenge placed before us all,
the Marriage Encounter team. How are we going to make it? We have to
practise it in our families and then only we can propose it to others. Our
families have to be synodal churches. Our Marriage Encounter family
also has to be the synodal family. Only then, can we bring the Kingdom
of our Lord amidst us.
“Synodality indicates walking together and
listening to one another but above all to the
Holy Spirit” (Pope Francis).
Our Journey Together as couple in the
Church:
Jesus wants us to walk together, side by side.
1. How do you feel we as a couple are doing at walking sideby-
side?
2. Who do you feel is included/welcome on the Church's
local journey?
3. Who is not included or welcomed in our journey?
Our listening
4. How good are we couples at listening?
5. Who do we need to listen to more?
6. What stops us from listening more carefully?
Our Mission
7. Do couples take this mission seriously?
8. What stops us from being active in ME mission?
Our dialogue
9. As couples, how good are we at dialogue listening and
sharing ?
10. Good dialogue leads to collaboration – how do couples
collaborate as Catholics in our local community?
11. In what ways could we dialogue and collaborate with
others in the church?
Learning to Journey together
12. To what extent do you find couples are open to change
and new learning?
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