Around The Region And In My Heart
Rev. Allen V. Harris, Regional Pastor
Can Curiosity Save The Church
When I was young, I loved to read, as did my mother, although her interests leaned more towards romance novels and mine towards mysteries and biographies. I recall a particular mystery book I read, given to me by my mother because it was written by one of her favorite romance novelists, Phyllis A. Whitney, but written for teenagers. In her teen mystery book, “Mystery On The Isle Of Skye,” (1) a young girl, an orphan, named Cathy MacLeod who has been brought up by her beloved grandmother, who is now gravely ill, is flying to visit relatives in Scotland, from whence the MacLeod’s first came. On the trip Cathy carries a special box with her from her grandmother. It is filled with fascinating “surprises” and clues that she must open in the course of her trip taking her on what we would recognize as a scavenger hunt. She, and two young relatives about her own age, are drawn into a search for the answers to a series of mysteries connected to the surprises in the box. She learns about her family history, her own abilities and gifts, and gains a new sense of purpose and strength for her life from following the “path” that her grandmother invited her to follow. Cathy did not have to do anything her grandmother had offered to her through the box of treasures, but she chose to do so and found herself open to new and more richly meaningful possibilities for her future.
In reading one of the most familiar scripture texts of the Easter Season, Luke 24:13-35, commonly known as “The Road To Emmaus,” my mind wandered back to young Cathy on the Isle of Skye. No, the disciples walking that road did not have a box of clues they had to open and decipher to lead them to their next stop along the way, but I do believe they noticed signs along the way which transformed them and their intended destination.
In the story two individuals were walking on a road from Jerusalem to the smaller town of Emmaus sometime in the days immediately following the trial, crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. They are either disciples of Jesus or are at least sympathetic friends of those who follow him. While walking and talking, a stranger joins them and, after hearing their heart-rending story about what had just taken place, he offers another take on the events, drawing on scripture and tradition, which was compelling enough that they would later reflect on how their hearts were warmed within them when he spoke. We, the readers, realize it is nonother than Jesus who has joined the travelers on the way, but they do not fully comprehend it is Jesus until they break bread with him in their home and he is revealed.
The clues that these two Disciples picked up on along the way home were many and each led them to a new and more enlightening discovery. The first clue that they could have ignored but instead chose to act upon was the joining of a stranger to their journey. I can’t speak for first-century peoples but I strongly suspect having those you don’t know walk alongside you is strange at best and unnerving at worst. They clearly chose to welcome the stranger to their hike and into their conversation. The second clue they picked up on was their willingness to share of themselves in a deeper and more honest way than many of us would. When I travel, especially on planes, it is hard enough for me to offer simple pleasantries to seatmates next to me, much less share anything of substance. These disciples moved quickly from pleasantries to the pain and heartache they had experienced at the death of their savior and the strange reports of his resurrection. The third clue our intrepid travelers picked up along this scavenger hunt of sorts was their willingness to listen to their newfound friend as he explored with them the depths of their own faith and scripture, even if it came with a bit of a chastising tone. I certainly would have had my hackles up if something like this happened with me on a trip, and it most likely would have shut the conversation down. But not for these two disciples! The final and perhaps most life-changing clue they picked up on was to follow their instinct to invite their new traveling, buddy into their home for dinner, one of the most intimate acts of hospitality then as well as today. As I have said many times in the midst of our pro reconciliation and anti-racism work in the church, table fellowship in our homes is one of the boldest acts of openness and honesty we can have with those who are different from us.
Like a well-planned scavenger hunt designed by someone who loves us dearly, the road to Emmaus found two followers of Christ opening up packages of clues along the journey with each one leading them to more meaning, significance, and perhaps even salvation they could not have imagined before.
And as beautiful and compelling as this story is, there are several aspects of it that make it even more profound for me and I hope for you. One facet we must lift up is that these disciples were willing to be open to the clues Christ placed before them along the way when they were deep in grief. Anytime I have done a scavenger hunt, which I greatly enjoy, it has been done when I was feeling good about life and usually playful. These devout followers were willing to be opened up to the leading of the Holy Spirit when they were in the depths of despair, grief, and when they were uncertain about the future. It says something important to our churches to realize that God is yet guiding us, even in the valleys of our hopelessness and even at our worst moments.
A second overarching reality I find is important is that the conversation on the road that warmed these Disciples’ hearts was not a simplistic one that dealt with unimportant details of life. It was a rigorous discussion about faith and in whom we ultimately place our loyalty. Plus, it was not an easy discussion as the text makes clear as Jesus was in a passionate and almost confrontational mode. We must remember this stick-with-itness when we are in conversation with people we care about when it moves into very important but dicey territory like values and principles, even when it gets a bit tense and contentious.
I believe God has imbued creation with an infinite multiplicity of clues and surprises that guide us deeper into the truth, beauty, justice, meaning, and joy of life. I also believe these clues are not simply available to a certain set of people with certain kinds of qualifications, but to every creature and being. Similarly, the options available for communities of faith to fulfill the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ are infinite and multitudinous, and available to every congregation, community, and gathering of faithful folk. Like many do with the Christian faith, we do ourselves an injustice when we presume that there are a small number of answers or techniques or perspectives that will save our churches. The truth is there are as many ways to turn a congregation around as there are congregations, we only have to be willing to open ourselves to the possibilities, follow the clues before us… to be curious!
This is countercultural to the way we have been church for most of our lives. Church has been the place of certainty, presuming it had the truth that had to be imparted on everyone else, whether or not they were willing to receive it or open to that truth. But I would maintain that we need to do church differently NOT because people aren’t coming (i.e. we are dying). I steadfastly believe that we should do church differently because that is what the gospel mandates, that is what Christ calls us to.
The future of the church… the future of faith… is dependent upon whether or not we are willing to remain curious enough to seek out the clues that God has placed all around us that lead us onward… that lead us deeper inward into ourselves. Our salvation will be far more assured if we always remain curious, not for our own sake but for the sake of the world.
Faithfully Yours,
Allen
(1) Phyllis A. Whitney, Mystery On the Isle Of Skye, Copyright 1955