Scripture & Sacrament

On the RC show Journey Home, Marcus Grodi takes a phone call from a man who makes an interesting point. (HT: Whippleshire)

Luke 24:13-35

"[...] which is the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus. It really hit me how Christ came along, walked along with them, opened up the Scripture to them, talked to them about Scripture, their hearts were burning about Scripture ... and yet they did not recognize our Lord until the breaking of the bread.

They went back to Jerusalem to the disciples, they told about what happened and how the Lord was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

When I talk to my Protestant friends and all, they are so focused on Scripture (and God bless them, that's great) but I point out to them in this one here how even with Scripture-- even with Christ Himself explaining it to you, yet it was in the Eucharist that they recognized Him."

Our eyes are darkened. When we do see, it is in a glass darkly.

Interpreting Scripture is a perilous task, a walk with precipices upon either side. Without a guide it is all too easy to fall into heresy. Some suggest relying on the Holy Spirit as a guide. Orthodox would agree with this statement wholeheartedly, but not in how it is often interpreted: alone, independently, individually. Here self-deception is made too easy, prelest' all too common. Which we know, for even the disciples' eyes could be closed to the teaching of Christ.

We offer the Church instead, the Church as guide under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit. Her Tradition has been safeguarded by the Holy Spirit, she knows the common errors, the slips that could become falls, she understands the dangers of prelest'. And it is in the Church that eyes are opened, for it is here that the Eucharist is, the Real Presence of Christ. In the Sacraments we meet God, in the Sacraments we are the Church, in the Sacraments the Scriptures are opened to us and we see Christ and we hear His voice.

- V.