STAY WITH US, LORD
- Apr 15
- 1 min read
Popes write teaching documents for faith-edification.
Pope St. John Paul II published a document in 2004, meaning ‘Stay with us, Lord.’
The opening paragraph is exquisite:
Stay with us, Lord, for it is almost evening (Luke 24).
This was the insistent invitation that the two disciples journeying to Emmaus on the evening of the day of the resurrection addressed to the Wayfarer who had accompanied them on their journey.
Jesus, our Wayfarer. He walks with us. We walk with him:
We have come from God. We are going to God. God is with us, every step of the way.
Note that there are two disciples. They had lost hope, but not their memories.
Jesus gave a clear missionary mandate to the seventy-two:
Go out two-by-two (Luke 10).
Nothing worthwhile happens on our own. Everything worthwhile happens with others.
Together they walked. Together they received a resurrection appearance of the Lord. Together their hearts burned within.
Together they speak in the plural, not singular, and plead with Jesus to stay with us. Together they celebrate the breaking of bread. Together their eyes are opened.
Let’s be insistent in our prayer life:
Stay with us, Lord. Please!
AMEN.
