Have you ever been in a situation where you are so full of sadness and sorrow? In times like these, with a pandemic
ravaging the world, a lot of people feel sad. We feel great sorrow at the losses faced by so many people.
This brings to mind a time in Jerusalem 2000 years ago, just after the death of Jesus. The disciples were full of sorrow. They were bereaved. Their hope for tomorrow, their freedom and their deliverance from the Romans, had
just been killed mercilessly on the cross. His body had been thrown into a grave without proper preparation three
days earlier.
Two disciples walking back from Jerusalem to Emmaus were distraught with sorrow at these events, they were engulfed
in their grief. As they were walking the few miles to Emmaus, Jesus joined them and walked with them. Jesus had risen from
the dead. Jesus asked them ‘why are you so sad?’. They enquired whether He was a stranger that He had not heard what
had happened. They told Him about this good man called Jesus who was killed and buried, and their hope was gone. They
explained to Jesus about His own death and also about two ladies who went to the grave to prepare His body but had
found the grave empty. The men had heard that Jesus had risen from the grave and was alive but chose to only see his
death. Sometimes when grief and sorrow are too deep we fail to see the miracle that is walking beside us, as the two men
failed to recognise Jesus – their miracle.
Jesus continued to accompany the men all the way to Emmaus. The two men implored Him to stay the night as it was late.
They all sit at the table together and Jesus takes some bread, he breaks it and gives thanks. He passes the bread to the
men and as He does their eyes are opened. They see Him. They see Jesus! At this point He disappears from their sight. This is the power of the Holy Communion. Even in the midst of grief, sorrow and sadness Jesus is always there, right by our side.
Jesus wanted to be be known to the men in their hearts, rather than by sight. That is the Holy Communion. Jesus would no longer be there in a physical form but He wanted the men to know He would still be with them, in their hearts. In Luke 24:32 it is written that they said “Were not our hearts burning within us when He walked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Jesus was engraving His presence in their hearts. After this the men ran back to Jerusalem, in happiness and excitement, along the same road they had previously walked in sorrow. When they got there they told people
“Jesus is Alive!”.
Jesus has engraved His presence in all our hearts, despite our own sorrows. He is with us always, through every dark hour
and every dark day. The same roads we walk in sadness can be walked in happiness because He accompanies us everywhere.
If you have suffered any kind of loss please be encouraged that Jesus is there. Take some bread and some wine and invite
God’s presence into your heart. Break bread and give thanks. Drink wine and give thanks. Remeber that Jesus is with you.
Your eyes will be opened, like the men from Emmaus, and you will feel Jesus’ engraving on your heart. Jesus will give you
hope for tomorrow and a reason to keep going.
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