EQUAL COMMITMENT Good sponsorship includes encouraging husbands and wives to make an "equal commitment" to attend the Walk to Emmaus. Why does Emmaus encourage "Equal Commitment" for husbands and wives when making the Walk to Emmaus?
The Letter of Agreement encourages husbands and wives to make an equal
commitment to participate in the Walk to Emmaus. This does not mean that
Emmaus primarily focuses on married persons. Single persons are as
welcome to participate in Emmaus as married couples. However, Emmaus recognizes a concern and hope about the effect of Emmaus on marriages and families.
First, equal participation guards against the Emmaus experience
becoming a divisive influence in a marriage. Emmaus can be the occasion
for commitments to new life directions that one's spouse may not
understand or appreciate at the time. The Emmaus movement attempts to
strengthen marriages and to avoid practices that may have the potential
to affect marriage adversely. Second, when equal participation is
honored, Emmaus can indirectly strengthen the spiritual bond in a
marriage and family. So sponsorship of married persons involves
approaching both husband and wife together and encouraging them to make
an equal commitment to participate. In this way they can grow together
as a Christian family while actively supporting the Emmaus movement and
the church as families, not only as individuals. Third, equal
commitment results in increased participation of many grateful husbands
and wives (usually husbands) who probably would not have attended an
Emmaus weekend otherwise but did so in order to make it possible for
their spouse to participate. While their initial motivation for going on
a Walk may not have been personal, they came to realize in the course
of the Walk that the three days was meant for them.
I thank God for the equal commitment that I made to attend the Walk. My
sponsor encouraged me to participate and I did so to honor my wife so
we could experience this together. It changed my life and enriched our
already wonderful marriage. I encourage all potential sponsors to talk
to both husbands and wives and explain the reasons for equal commitment.
They will be blessed. |