Anglican Cursillo Tasmania

The Fourth Day on the Emmaus Road

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In the Cursillo movement, we often talk about the "Fourth Day"—the rest of our lives lived in the light of our encounter with Christ. As we look at the journey to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35) and the fire of Pentecost (Acts 2:36–41), we find a perfect roadmap for our own walk as a community of faith.

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1. Piety: Seeking and Drawing Near

The two disciples on the road were syzetountes—wrestling, questioning, and processing their grief. How often do we think our "Piety" must be polished and perfect? Yet, Jesus joins them in their confusion. He doesn't wait for them to have the right answers; He draws near (engisas) while they are still lost.

True piety is the honesty to bring our "dusty road" questions to the Lord. It is the realization that the Risen Christ is already walking beside us, even when our eyes are "restrained" from seeing Him. Our spiritual life begins not with certainty, but with the seeking.

 

2. Study: The Heart Set Ablaze

When Jesus opened the Scriptures for the disciples, their hearts began to burn (kaiomenē). This wasn't just academic "Study"; it was an encounter. He showed them that every promise of Moses and the Prophets found its "Yes" in Him.

As Cursillistas, our study is not merely to gain information, but to facilitate transformation. When we open the Word, we aren't just reading ancient history; we are inviting the Risen Christ to interpret our lives through the lens of His Grace. Does your study lead you to the Table? Does it make your heart burn with the intensity of His love?

 

3. Action: The Urgency of Metanoia

The Emmaus encounter didn't end at the table. The disciples got up "that same hour" and ran back to Jerusalem. Encounter produces urgency. In Acts, we see the result: Peter’s message "pierced the heart," leading to metanoia—a total revolution of the mind and life.

 

Our "Action" is the natural overflow of a heart that has recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread. It is the decision to live differently—to forgive, to serve, and to share the "Good News" that we have seen the Lord.

"Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"

The Emmaus road is not a one-time event; it is the rhythm of our Fourth Day. We seek Him in our piety, we encounter Him in our study, and we serve Him in our action.

De Colores!