In Luke's account, the two disciples - prior to embarking on this seven mile walk of dejection and defeat - had talked to the people who had seen the empty tomb and encountered Christ. This inspired them to investigate the situation for themselves.
They go to the empty tomb and find it as described: empty.
However, and herein comes the line that struck me:
"...but him they did not see."
As a result, they leave. They walk away from their fellowship with the other disciples. Not encountering the risen Christ for themselves, they turn away and "looking downcast" they depart.
It made me think of our schools. Our students, families, and teachers - looking for the truth of Christ either actively or unconsciously - must go through our programs and see, encounter, and know the way, the truth, and the life of Christ.
How often though, do members of our communities come to our schools search and hoping for an encounter with Jesus Christ and find them empty? Do our students and teachers and families come to us yearning for the absolute truth of Christ only to find a watered down, moralistic therapeutic deism instead? Might stakeholders turn to us expecting to witness authentic discipleship, yet see no notable difference in our how we live our lives?
But Him they must see.
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| Christ on the Road to Emmaus, Jan Wildens, 1640s |
Maybe - like me - they needed the additional catechesis Jesus supplies as He accompanies them on their seven-mile journey to Emmaus, which Bishop Caggiano states means "nowhere." They couldn't absorb the truth of the resurrection because they didn't have a strong enough foundation upon which to build.
Could it be that because the disciples had not yet received the gift of the Holy Spirit, the witness of those who had encountered the risen Christ earlier that morning stemmed more from fact than faith, thus limiting their testimony to the head and not also incorporating the heart?
So, we must make sure that our schools do not resemble dead places where people will never find the living - punitive and vindictive discipline policies, academic approaches that don't account for the process of learning, liturgical opportunities that go through the motions without moving anyone.
We must make sure that our schools pour the foundations of faith with rich study of Catholic theology, scripture, and doctrine, ensuring that our schools proclaim an unabashed and irresistible Catholic identity.
We must take seriously our own discipleship, recognizing that we cannot give what we do not have, and that "(people) listen more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if (people do) listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses."
May we be the witnesses who allow all who interact with our Catholic schools to see, encounter, and know the way, the truth, and the life of Christ.
Because, Him they must see. Him they must encounter. Him they must know.
Accompany. Inquire. Teach. Love. Send.
As Jesus did.
As Jesus does.
