Journey Through Holy Week With the Archbishop of CanterburySample

Finally we reach Easter Sunday – the day we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection, his triumph over death. The tone is jubilant. As the popular hymn says:

'Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son, endless is the victory thou o'er death hast won.'

Yet on the morning of Jesus’ resurrection, his friends and family were not feeling at all triumphant. They had been traumatised by his violent death. They are in the first throes of grief. When the tomb is empty, their first reaction is understandably confused and cautious, rather than immediately joyful. The disciples on the road to Emmaus are ‘downcast,' even though they’d heard the women’s report that Jesus had risen. Hope feels out of reach.

Into this picture steps the resurrected Jesus. And, as we have seen throughout Holy Week, he doesn’t assert himself as a vindicated champion – even in this glorious moment. Instead he comes gently alongside the disciples. He asks them questions: ‘What are you discussing together as you walk along?’ ‘What things?’ In doing so, he opens space for his friends to share their story – their hopes and disappointment.

They don’t realise that this is Jesus – that discovery comes slowly, gradually. As Jesus speaks, the disciples’ hearts ‘burn within’ them. When they courageously offer this apparent stranger hospitality, the full revelation comes. When Jesus give thanks and breaks the bread, ‘their eyes were opened and they recognised him.'

Having been accompanied in their doubt and grief, the disciples are at last able to believe that their hopes have come true – Jesus is risen! They can hurry back and share what they have heard and seen.

On this joyful day, we are invited to join in Jesus’ gentle footsteps – to come alongside others and listen to their story. And we are invited to follow in the footsteps of those early disciples who offered hospitality to a stranger and discovered deep hope and joy.

Let’s take a moment to pause and reflect:

• Who do you know who is downcast and struggling to hope? How could you come alongside them and offer space to hear their story?
• In what ways could you offer hospitality to strangers or people different from yourself?