Tessera Materials

Prayer

Creator of the universe,
you made the world in beauty,
and restore all things in glory
through the victory of Jesus Christ.
We pray that, wherever your image is still disfigured
by poverty, sickness, selfishness, war and greed,
the new creation in Jesus Christ may appear in justice, love, and peace,
to the glory of your name. Amen.

Scripture

John 20:19-22, Luke 24:30-35

...from the 'Hour of the Unexpected' by John Shea

On the road that escapes Jerusalem
and winds along the ridge to Emmaus
two disillusioned youths
drag home their crucified dream.

They had smelled messiah in the air
and rose to the scarred and ancient hope
only to mourn what might have been.

And now a sudden stranger falls upon their loss
with excited words about mustard seeds
and surprises hidden at the heart of death
and that evil must be kissed upon the lips
and that every scream is redeemed for it echoes
in the ear of God and do you not understand
what died upon the cross was fear.

They protested their right to despair but he said,
‘My Father’s laughter fills the silence of the tomb.’

Because they did not understand, they offered him food.
And in the breaking of the bread
they knew the impostor for who he was –
the arsonist of the heart.

Reflection and Discussion

Like those first disciples, when our hopes and dreams for God’s good world feel crucified, we need people—real, flesh-and-bone companions—who show up and remind us of the surprising beauty still possible in this world and in our very own lives. Despair and anxiety often speak louder than hope, but the resurrection of Jesus calls us to remain open to the unexpected. It calls us to remember that the goodness of God will prevail.

Jesus was the first arsonist of the disciples’ hearts—igniting in them a fire of hope and new life. And now, we are invited to follow in His footsteps, becoming arsonists of the heart for one another, lighting the flames of hope wherever it’s needed most.

• Share a time in your life when you needed someone to show up as an "arsonist of your heart"—someone who rekindled your hope and spoke the peace of Christ to you. What was going on at this point in your life? Who was this person? How did God, through this person's presence, reignite your spirit? In what ways do you hope to embody this same hope-bearing presence for others? Let this be a time of giving thanks for these arsonists of the heart we’ve met along the way.

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Aug 1, 2024 - July 31, 2025
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