Faith & Film

Easter 3A

Eat Pray Love (2010)

Lk 24:13-35—Finding Oneself Away from Home and Amidst Strangers

Easter 3A

The movie Eat Pray Love, starring Julia Roberts, is a soul-searching journey of a woman named Elizabeth Gilbert who embarks on a spiritual journey to find herself after a painful divorce. This essay relateds the movie “Eat Pray Love” to the Road to Emmaus story, as told in Luke 24:13-35.

The Road to Emmaus story is about two disciples who were walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus after the crucifixion of their Lord, Jesus Christ. The disciples were discussing the events that led to the death of their Lord when a stranger joined them in their journey. The stranger listened to their discussion and explained how the events were foretold in the Scriptures. The disciples invited the stranger to stay with them for the evening, and while they were having dinner, the stranger revealed himself to be Jesus Christ.

Similarly, the movie “Eat Pray Love” is about Elizabeth Gilbert embarking on a journey after a painful divorce. Just like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, Elizabeth is lost and seeking answers. She travels to Italy to explore the pleasure of food, to India to experience spirituality, and to Bali to discover love. Through these travels, Elizabeth learns to love and appreciate herself, the importance of finding inner peace and the power of faith.

Elizabeth’s journey and the Road to Emmaus story also showcase the importance of companionship. In the movie, Elizabeth meets many people who guide her through her journey, from her Italian language teacher who helps her discover her love of food, to her Guru in India who guides her in her spiritual quest for inner peace. These people acted as her companions who walked with her, much like the stranger in the Road to Emmaus story who walked with the disciples.

Another similarity between Elizabeth’s journey and the Road to Emmaus story is the importance of faith. Just like the disciples’ faith was tested after the death of Jesus and was restored when they met him again, Elizabeth’s faith in herself and the world is restored after her journey. Through her travels, she learnt to trust in the world again and to find peace in the chaos of life.

Additionally, both Elizabeth and the two disciples had significant breakthroughs during their journey. For the disciples, it was the realisation that they had just spent time with the risen Lord. For Elizabeth, it was realising that she was incomplete and needed to take a journey to find herself. These breakthroughs signifies enlightenment and are pivotal turning points in one’s life.

Although the Road to Emmaus story focuses on Christianity, the underlying messages resonate with everyone who has gone through a period of soul searching. Christianity teaches that faith, companionship, and scripture can provide guidance to people both searching for answers and trying to discern the right path forward. The movie “Eat Pray Love” captures these teachings and shows us that everyone can benefit from these lessons regardless of religious beliefs.

In conclusion, “Eat Pray Love” is a beautiful journey synonymous with the story of the Road to Emmaus. It is a story of finding oneself away from home and amidst strangers who eventually become friends. It is about taking chances, having faith in yourself and others, and the power of companionship. If we walk through life with these simple philosophies, like Elizabeth, we can discover our path in life, grow in wisdom, and find happiness.