We had hoped...

"But we had hoped..."
Luke 24:21

Such sad words for an Easter Wednesday, but there they are. I think it was Fr. James Martin, in his writings, who said these were among the saddest words in scripture. And, he pointed out, they are also sad in our lives when we find ourselves saying them too. "We had hoped the cancer was gone." "We had hoped he would stay sober." "We had hoped the job would work out." Our lives are splattered with "We had hoped" moments, as we look back. But look what happens when the guys on the road to Emmaus encounter Jesus.They are able to recognize Jesus in the simple task of sharing a meal with a stranger. Their hospitality opens the door for a vivid encounter with God. Their disappointment gives way to seeing the work of God in even the most devastating of events. It wasn't that God orchestrated the devastating event, but God was at work in the healing of hearts broken by it. God can be seen in our "We had hoped" moments when we look for the helpers, as Mister Rogers used to say. When we see people reaching out to others and rolling up their sleeves. In those kind acts, we see Jesus as on the road to Emmaus. And we are on the road ourselves. Several times a day we may be nudged to help someone else. The tiniest, simplest kindness may make a huge difference in someone going through a "We had hoped" moment. So let's keep our eyes and ears open as we continue to celebrate our Easter joy! Love, heidi