Jesus walked alongside his friends on the road to Emmaus, but they were so full of pain they did not recognise him.

When we are full of grief and despair and cannot recognise Christ with us, we are reminded that he walked the way of suffering himself and draws alongside those who are suffering.

It is easier to talk and listen when we are walking alongside another. Grief is more difficult to bear when we do nothing and face memories alone

To listen and find the breath to talk you have to walk slowly.

Jesus walks with us. Will we walk with him?

We walk with Jesus by welcoming him and acknowledging his presence even if we cannot feel him and he has become a stranger to us.

Like the friends on the way to Emmaus we need to ask questions of Christ. Why is this happening? Why are so many dying? We had hoped our business would thrive. We looked forward to a long life together. All we had planned for has been destroyed. Why Lord when you love us and have the power to end this suffering are you not doing anything?

Jesus may not give answers. For his friends walking the way of suffering, believing the rumours of resurrection the women had brought was beyond belief. They needed to grieve properly and come to terms with the new reality they found themselves in.

As they walked, they listened to Jesus as he opened up their scriptures about how the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead to them.

Jesus asks his friends, “Was it not necessary for the Messiah to suffer to enter into his glory? Suffering is not something strange. Jesus suffered and we will all suffer distress at some stage in our journey. Suffering and death are part of our journey to resurrection life and glory.

Even though the disciples were full of confusion and despair, they walked with the Messiah, their King. Their lives were not going to descend into chaos. Jesus promises to be with us even to the end of the world.

Jesus revealed himself to his friends in the breaking of bread before vanishing from their sight. Jesus is with us today through his spirit and whilst we cannot meet to share bread and wine as we would like to, we can receive his presence spiritually as we remember his journey and maybe take bread and wine in remembrance of him in our homes

Walk gently and slowly with Jesus

Ask him to help you on your journey through this crisis

Listen as you spend time with him in prayer and read the scriptures

King Jesus will lead us out of crisis into new life

Spirit of Jesus reveal Christ’s presence to us and to your world today. Amen