Allowing Ourselves to Mourn and be Heard

Holy Saturday

We had hoped... that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. ~ Luke 24:21

I've been struck anew by this phrase, 'we had hoped' uttered by the two followers of Jesus as they were walking back to their home in Emmaus. They had left their fellow mourning companions that afternoon, heads 'downturned' even after hearing that some of the women had testified to seeing Jesus in the garden that very morning.

They left, still in despair and not believing. 

Inhale

Exhale

Take a moment to look at this photo. This person so burdened, looking at the ground, unable to see.

It is into the chasm of loss and grief that Jesus arrives. He walks with the two whose faces are downcast. In their grief and loss, they don't recognize Jesus.

He could have responded to their grief by revealing who he is, "Hey friends, it's me Jesus! I'm here!" He could have quickly 'made them feel better' as we so often want to do when walking alongside someone who is suffering. Instead he invites them to tell their story, to unload their pain.