The Meaning of Emmaus: The Nature of the Way

“One night, I sat down for prayer and began reading through the Gospel of Luke when something profound hit me,” said creator and director Chris Yates, as he recalled the meaning behind the title of the project, Emmaus: The Nature of the Way. 

As two disciples journey to a town called Emmaus, Jesus comes upon them, his identity is revealed to them only after they invite him into their home. “I can remember so many moments in my life that—only after the fact, sometimes years later—I realized that Jesus was at the center of a situation,” Yates said. He began to realize that this small story in the Gospel very accurately describes a narrative of life that we all journey on. No two people’s journeys will be the same, but seemingly, one way or another, we come to a very similar conclusion. 

The Nature of the Way further enters into a relationship between God and his beloved children. It is often said that God writes straight with crooked lines, and it is at this core truth that we discover the nature of the way. In the book’s conclusion, Yates describes the final days of his grandmother’s life and the debilitating effects a stroke had on her ability to communicate.  Without the use of words, body language or touch, she was able to open her heart completely, to fully embrace the nature of the journey God graciously gifted her. 

Emmaus: The Nature of the Way is a deep reflection and commentary on the journey of life. We cherish and celebrate as these men recount great graces and shed tears when there is tragic loss. We hope this provides greater insight into why the title of the project is so important to its meaning as a whole!