Homily delivered by Patriarch Rai – Cyprus, Sunday April 23, 2023

Homily delivered by Patriarch Bechara Boutros Card. Rai at the concluding Mass of the Symposium marking the tenth Anniversary of the promulgation of the Post Synodal Exhortation: “Ecclesia in Medio Oriente”, Cyprus, Sunday April 23, 2023 

“Stay with us” (Lk 24:29)

Your Beatitudes, the Patriarchs Heads of Churches, Your Excellency Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect of the Decastary of the Oriental Churches, Brother Bishops, Priests and Religious, dear Brothers and Sisters.

1.   The words addressed by the disciples of Emmaus to Jesus, in reality, the stranger who joined them on their way to their village: “stay with us”, are like a bridge joining what precedes them and what follows. That encounter between Jesus and the two disciples, could perhaps be likened to a Synod, the first held by Jesus (1), all the elements of a synod could in effect be detected in it: the rapprochement, walking together, listening and the discernment in the light of the Word of God. This came before the invitation addressed to “the stranger”: “stay with us, it is nearly evening, and the day is almost over.” (Lk 24:29). What comes after for the disciples is the recognition of Jesus “upon the breaking of the bread”, the rejuvenating of their forces and the renewal of their commitment to the mission, which is the declaration of the resurrection of Jesus, as the foundation of our Christian faith.

(1) See. Younan Obeid: “Jesus, an Encounter of Love” p.240

2.   Today, here in Cyprus, we are closing our “Synod” in which we discussed the Post Synodal Exhortation “Ecclesia in Medio Oriente”, ten years after its promulgation by the late Pope Benedictus XVI in Beirut on 14 September, 2012. All of us, Patriarchs, Bishops, Priests, Religious and Lay Faithful, came here from our Apostolic Churches; Alexandria, Antioch, Babel-Iraq, Cilicia and the Latin Church of Jerusalem. We journeyed together, listened to each other, discerned together and clarified our new mission for the present and the future.

We offer this Divine Liturgy, as a thanksgiving Sacrifice to God, who   was present among us during the past three days, enlightening us and directing our steps.  We beseech him to strengthen us with his grace to carry out the recommendations that we adopted under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

3.   In effect, what took place on the road to Emmaus, is but the first Synod held by Jesus on the day of His Resurrection from among the dead, an encounter which includes all the elements of a Synod.

  a –  Rapprochement and listening

4.   Jesus took the initiative, approached the two disciples as they walked “with their faces downcast”. He walked along with them, listening to them, empathizing with them, as he always did with everyone he met (see Lk. 24:15-24).  

      b-   Discernment in the light of the Word of God

5.   After having briefed Jesus on the motive behind their grief, and how their hopes were dashed, albeit with an inkling of hope remaining, because of an unconfirmed rumor that Jesus had risen. Then Jesus started the process of discernment with them, i.e. the reading of the painful event in the light of the Word of God; he led them back to the sayings of the Prophets and all the Books, until he reached the conclusion that “the Christ should suffer before entering into his glory” (see verses 25-27).

This discernment brought some peace to their hearts, and put them on the way out of their bewilderment, sense of loss and despair, and put some hope in their hearts. Then one said to the other:” Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?” (verse32).

     c-  Reaching the objective, the Mission

6.   Because of the peace of heart, they felt, the two disciples got attached to that stranger. They pressed him to stay with them as knight was falling: “stay with us”, they said to him. Jesus did not content himself of listening and discernment, because he had not yet reached his objective. He made as if to go on, which motivated the two disciples to insist further on him to “stay with them.” “While he was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing, then he broke it and handed it to them, and their eyes were opened and they recognized him; but he had vanished from their sight.”  (verses 30-31)

7.   The objective of this “synod”, as of every synod held in the Church, such as the Symposium we are concluding today, is the personal encounter with Jesus, to get to know him better, and ultimately be able to reach a decision on the mission to be undertaken under the present circumstances.

The disciples of Emmaus got to know Jesus well, then their eyes were opened and the mission Jesus handed over to them became clear. This is why the apostolic zeal was kindled in their hearts. They forgot their exhaustion, and faced the new challenge of a long walk back, “they set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem…Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they recognized him at the breaking of the bread.” (verses 33-35).

8.   Seeing that the objective of Jesus’ synodal journey, with the two disciples, was realized as he celebrated the Eucharist in their home, in which they recognized him, and then set out to carry the mission.

Three liturgies can be detected in this synodal experience:

The liturgy of the Word which we recognize in the first part of the Mass; the Liturgy of the Sacrifice and Banquet carried out in the second part of the Mass;

the Liturgy of the Mission with which we set out commissioned by the Lord Himself. This is why it is said that in reality: “the Mass starts when it ends.”

It could be considered that the synodality practiced by Jesus and the disciples of Emmaus is carried on in the divine liturgy which brings together the faithful around Jesus on Sunday, “the Day of the Lord.”

9.   As we set out on the way back to our different countries and our various ministries, throughout this Middle East, a region still burdened by the atrocities of conflict and wars, and return to our peoples aching under the weight of poverty, instability and the hemorrhage of emigration, we cry out to the Lord Jesus: “stay with us”, be our strength and help us find true solutions for the crises of our lives. May the strength of your love support the needy and the more vulnerable among us, and may your light overcome the darkness of our lives and enable us to lead our flocks with hope in the service of Peace.

To the Blessed Trinity, Father Son and Holy Spirit, all Glory and Praise for ever and ever, Amen.

***