Guest column by Jeff Schinstock
and Chad Steiner
In 2010, Pope Benedict XVI wrote, “Our own time, then, must be increasingly marked by a new hearing of God’s word and a new evangelization” (Verbum Domini, §122). While there are many demands on parish life, Pope Benedict’s apostolic exhortation points to an emerging need he saw to be increasingly pressing. Those who follow Christ on this journey through life benefit from regular moments of renewal that extend beyond—though they are shaped and animated by—the Mass at the center of the Church’s life. Pilgrimages and retreats on one hand, and holy hours of adoration on the other, might be suggested as the two poles of a panoply of opportunities for such renewal.
Another opportunity that draws on the benefits of concentrated time away (like retreats) and focused contemplation and prayer (like adoration) sits between these. In a parish mission, parishioners, catechists, parents, and clergy alike come inside the peaceful refuge of the Church from the rapid pace and elevated volume of the world outside. They take a long breath, to refocus and be nourished by an encounter with the living God who desires to share himself with them not only in sacrament, but in Scripture heard afresh. This is what the late Holy Father has in view when he speaks of “a new hearing of God’s word.”
In Scripture, God draws near. Or, as Pope Paul VI elegantly explains it, “in the sacred books, the Father who is in heaven comes lovingly to meet his children, and talks with them” (Dei Verbum, §21).
The Emmaus Institute for Biblical Studies in Lincoln offers parishes in the diocese a wide variety of options for exactly this kind of renewal through its parish missions program. A parish mission presented by the Institute is a one- to three-day “time away” within a particular parish, typically consisting in an hour-and-a-half to two-hour commitment each day, in which participants are guided into prayer, reflection, and Scripture, centered on a well-chosen biblical theme. The goal of each mission is to help the whole parish encounter Christ through his Word, and then to live out that encounter in a renewed way, leading to richer conversations, shared hope, deeper joy, and a steadier peace amidst the noise and chaos of life.
While the Emmaus Institute for Biblical Studies fills an educational role within the diocese, the parish missions it offers are not designed as academic studies. Rather, they facilitate life-transforming, face-to-face encounters with Christ in his Word in a retreat-like atmosphere. Each session culminates in a time of personal reflection, adoration, and prayer around a particular biblical passage or theme, so as to pursue the ways the Lord wishes to speak to his people and form them inside the world of the Scriptures.
To read these Scriptures is to listen to God speak. And to listen is to honor God, similarly to the way we honor one another by listening intently, so as to hear the heart of the speaker. In this case, it is to share the same communicational space with God—heart to heart—for a few precious moments.
A favorite motivational passage at the Institute comes from the end of Luke’s Gospel: “Did not our hearts burn within us… while he opened to us the Scriptures?” the two disciples ask each other on the road to Emmaus on the morning of Jesus’ resurrection (Luke 24:32). Reigniting the flame in the hearts of God’s people, enkindled at the discovery of Christ in all the Scriptures, is the purpose of each parish mission.
In the ordinary rhythm of Sunday Mass, religious education, meetings, school, or practices for extra-curricular activities, it can be difficult to step away to reflect. A parish mission creates that sacred space—a time to relax, breathe, listen, and respond to the Word of God in a fresh way. The Institute describes the parish missions “not [as] another program or... “event,” but as a spiritual moment in a parish’s journey.”
Whether your parish desires a mission around “Encountering Jesus on the Road to Emmaus,” “The Father Who Speaks: Praying with Scripture,” “Psalms at the Poles of Life,” or seasonal offerings such as “What Shall We Call Him?” (Advent) or “Behold, the Lamb” (Lent)—the Emmaus Institute offers focused tracks for diverse parish needs.
Any parish seeking a renewed focus and deeper conversion in the Word of God is invited to contact the Emmaus Institute to schedule a mission.
For more details on various themes—or to request a mission—click the ‘For Parishes’ tab at the top of the Emmaus Institute’s website (EmmausInstitute.net), then select ‘Parish Missions’ from the drop-down menu.
Chad Steiner is director of academics for the Emmaus Institute
Jeff Schinstock, director of Religious Education for the Catholic Diocese of Lincoln, serves on the Emmaus board
Courtesy photos
