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Happy Easter!
We start our Youth in the Spirit Seminar in the third week of Easter, what a privilege! The gospel reading is taken from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 24, verse 13 to 35. I hope you can guess that it is the story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. It's a privilege not only because our community is called The Emmaus, but it is a privilege precisely because it reveals the journey that each and everyone of us is going to take in this Youth in the Spirit Seminar.
First and foremost, it's a story of disciples (v. 13), and Hey, we are Disciples! When we are baptized, we have become Christ's disciples. But it is not just a story of disciples, but it's also a story of these disciples together with Jesus. It's a story of how the two disciples walk with Jesus (v. 15). It's a story of how they recognize Jesus in the Breaking of Bread (v. 30,31), the symbol of the Eucharist. And how their hearts are burning when they heard Jesus explains to them about the scriptures (v. 32). There are so much more about this story. It's also a story of how they turn away from going to Emmaus and instead go back to Jerusalem (v. 33). It's a story of the disciples sharing with others what they have experienced with the Lord (v. 35).
It is our hope that the story of the Emmaus becomes alive in you. And we hope that it becomes alive in you because you can find your story in it. We hope that through this Youth in the Spirit Seminar you may find Jesus who is walking besides you all this time. We hope that you may recognize Jesus! First and foremost in our beloved sacrament of the Eucharist, but also in the other sacraments, and not only that but also in your daily lives. More than that, we hope that your heart is burning when you read and meditate the scriptures, when you pray daily using the bible. And lastly, we hope that through this Youth in the Spirit Seminar, you may find yourselves on the road to Jerusalem, turning away (repent) from your old life, and turn to God to find New Life. This will not be the end, but rather a start, simply because your life will be one of an ongoing repentance. But we know that Jesus is walking with us, and he accompanies us along the way. And as we "find" him, we find New Life, and we begin to share this New Life with the people around us.
So we won't say "have a nice journey!", as if we will leave you to walk alone. No, we will walk with you! Remember in the story, there were two disciples, and at the end (v. 35) they went and meet the other disciples at Jerusalem. It's about a community walking together and finding Jesus. We are that community.This is, then, what we will say, "Let's get started in this wonderful journey! Let us find Him together!". And we know that when we seek, we will find.
"And I tell you, Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent;
or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
Luke 11:9-13
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