Emmaus Blog

Friday, March 6, 2026:  Time Change Announcement for this Sunday and The Seventh Station: Jesus Falls a Second Time Announcement: Time Change to 4:00 this Sunday Dear Ones: Please remember the time change occurs this weekend and our celebration starts at 4:00 because we have additional daylight. The Seventh Station: Jesus Falls a Second Time Scripture: Romans 8:31-32; 38-39 If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him?...For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. PRAYER:   Lord Jesus, you fell beneath the weight of your cross a second time, bruised and humiliated by your torturers. We hold in our hearts the many immigrants such as Manuel who jump through the hoops of...

Thursday, March 5, 2026: Important Announcements and Station 6 Reflection: Announcement #1:   Our dear friend Melva Freeman has been having a hard time. Please remember her in your prayers. You might like to send her a card or note: Her home address is  300 Enterprise Dr,  Rohnert Park, CA 94928 Apartment  #306. I'm sure she would be delighted to hear from us. Announcement #2: Reminder about Sunday Liturgy: Please remember we change our clocks this weekend and will meet at 4:00 at Christ Church United Methodist (not at 2:00 as we have been doing through the early dark days) Please remember we will have a Full Potluck so bring your best!    Announcement #3: Today at 10:00 Topic: Witnessing ‘Neighborism’ amid the U.S. Federal Government Siege of Minnesota Description: “Operation Metro Surge” – the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s historic immigration enforcement action – brought unprecedented turmoil to Minnesota.  As state-sanctioned violence and...

Wednesday, March 4, 2026: The Fifth Station:  Simon Helps Jesus Carry His Cross Scripture: Mark 15:21 And they compelled a passer-by, Simon of Cyre’ne, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. Reflection: What is your cross? What burdens you? Each of us needs to share our burdens and there are loving people around you to accompany you on your way. Know you are not alone. The Spirit lives. Prayer:  Loving God, you brought Simon of Cyrene to help carry the cross of Jesus, offering a brief respite from the crushing weight and showing him solidarity and compassion in his darkest hour. We pray for all the advocates in our network like Courtney, who, in the way of Simon of Cyrene, accompany their clients through the most difficult times in their lives, showing them the love of God. Story: Brought to this country as a preschooler by his parents, my client J. lived in Texas for many years without any lawful status. He had a difficult a...

Tuesday, March 3, 2026L 4: Jesus meets his mother Mary,  and both are filled with grief. PRAYER:   Oh Jesus, you saw your beloved mother once more on your way to the cross. Both of your hearts were pierced with sorrow in beholding the grief and suffering of the other. We ask you to fill our hearts with compassion for the parents and children who are affected by injustices and legal hurdles which have separated them. May you feel near them in their pain Reflection: Mary knew from the very beginning that her son would suffer–but did she really understand just how bad it would be to watch it unfold right in front of her?  Mary, what were you thinking and feeling that day? Did those images stab your heart every day for the rest of your life? Did you wake in the night sweating from the terror of reliving those moments in nightmares? Pray for us, Mary. Teach us to prayerfully endure the struggles in our own lives and to comfort others when they suffer. Story: Inez is a Venezuel...

Monday, March 2, 2026: Stations of the Cross:  Jesus falls for the first time Station of the Cross: III  Jesus Falls the First Time:  Weakened by torture and pain, Jesus falls beneath his cross. Prayer:   Lord Jesus, your falls under the weight of the cross further weakened your aching body and spirit. So many of our immigrant brothers and sisters make it to the United States where they think they will be safe, only to find repeated torture within our systems that oppress, detain, and abandon them. May we recognize your suffering face in their pleas for help and mercy. Scripture: John 19:1-3 And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and arrayed him in a purple robe; they came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. Reflection: The enormous weight on his shoulders–we did that and we still do. With our thoughts, words, actions or inaction, we put more weight upon his shoulders. But even with all of this we...

 Sunday, March 1, 2026: Station of the Cross: Jesus willingly accepts and patiently bears his cross. PRAYER: Lord Jesus, you did not fight or flee as you were forced to take up an unbearably heavy cross after torture and abandonment by many of those you loved. Today, many of our immigrant brothers and sisters must endure exhausting, long legal cases to seek safety after already experiencing horrific violence and abuse. We pray for a more merciful system, and for strength for them as they wait. Immigrant story from one person from the African country of Cameroon: John is a Cameroonian man who believes in equality and dignity for all people in his country. In October 2018, he joined a peaceful protest calling for equal rights for English-speaking Cameroonians. During the protest, government forces opened fire, and one of John’s friends was killed right in front of him. John was arrested and taken into government custody.  He was held in an overcrowded detention center for days w...