prepared by Rev. Rosemary Mutopo – 19th April 2026
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
STF 30: Jesus, stand among us
Graham Kendrick (b.1950)
Prayers
Gracious and loving God, we come before you this day— not because we have it all together, but because we know we need you. You are the God who walks beside us, the God who meets us on the road, the God who never abandons us, even when we fail to recognise you. You are faithful in every season— in our joy and in our sorrow, in our certainty and in our confusion. And so we pause… to adore you.
We praise you, O God, for your boundless love, for your patience with us, for your presence that never leaves us. You are holy. You are merciful. You are near. And yet, Lord, as we draw close to you, we also become aware of ourselves. We confess that there are times when we have walked our own road to Emmaus— turning away from you, seeking comfort in other things, choosing distraction over devotion. We confess that we have not always recognised you— in the stranger, in the suffering, in the quiet moments of our lives. We have been slow to trust, slow to listen, and quick to go our own way. Forgive us, Lord. Forgive us for the times we have missed your presence, ignored your voice, or failed to reflect your love to others. In your mercy, meet us again on the road. Open our eyes, soften our hearts, and renew our spirits. Remind us that we are not alone; that you are with us, walking beside us, calling us by name. And as we receive your grace, shape us to become people of grace that others, through us, may come to know your presence. We offer this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, who journeys with us still. Amen.
Please read the Gospel: Luke 24: 13-35 ‘The Walk to Emmaus’
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
19 “What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
STF 597: O thou who this mysterious bread didst in Emmaus break,
1 O thou who this mysterious bread
didst in Emmaus break,
return, herewith our souls to feed,
and to thy followers speak.
2 Unseal the volume of thy grace,
apply the gospel word,
open our eyes to see thy face,
our hearts to know the Lord.
3 Of thee communing still, we mourn
till thou the veil remove;
talk with us, and our hearts shall burn
with flames of fervent love.
4 Enkindle now the heavenly zeal,
and make thy mercy known,
and give our pardoned souls to feel
that God and love are one.
Charles Wesley (1707–1788)
Reflection
In Luke’s Gospel, we encounter two disciples leaving Jerusalem, weighed down by grief, confusion and disappointment, as they make their way toward Emmaus. A journey away from hope. A journey away from everything they thought they understood. Along the road, they are joined by Jesus himself, yet they do not recognise him. This lack of recognition is not unusual as it appears again and again in the resurrection stories. Mary Magdalene mistakes Jesus for a gardener. The disciples out fishing fail to recognise him standing on the shore. And here, these two travellers speak with him at length, unaware of who he is.
It is only through a simple but meaningful action that their eyes are opened. For Mary, it is when she hears her name spoken. For the fishermen, it is the overwhelming catch of fish. For the disciples on the road, it is in the breaking of the bread. What this reveals is something important: Jesus is not absent. The challenge lies in our ability to perceive his presence. We might wonder why he does not reveal himself more obviously. Why come disguised as a stranger, or in such ordinary moments? Perhaps it is because we are being invited to discover him in the everyday, in people, in encounters, and in the unfolding of life itself.
God often chooses to work through others. A passing conversation, a supportive friend, even a stranger can become a moment of grace. Again and again, we come to realise that God has been quietly present through those around us. In Ignatian spirituality, people are encouraged to look back over their lives and notice where God has been at work. Many discover that God’s presence has come through family members, companions, mentors, and even unexpected encounters. I can recall a time in my own life when I was close to giving up my path. During my formation, I felt lost and uncertain, ready to walk away. Yet, at that very moment, I received an unexpected visit from my sending church members. That one visit and conversation brought clarity and renewed direction. Looking back, I recognise that as a moment of grace—my own Emmaus experience.
Many of us can identify such moments; times when someone helped us see more clearly, when hope was restored, when direction returned. These people, in their own way, became instruments of God’s presence. And that raises an important question: just as others have been companions to us, are we willing to be companions to others? Can we be attentive enough, compassionate enough, to help someone else recognise that they are not alone?
There is another way to understand Emmaus. It can represent a place we go to escape. When life becomes overwhelming, we all seek some form of relief. Sometimes this takes the shape of simple distractions such as entertainment, food, or leisure. But at times, escape can take more harmful forms, leading us into patterns that ultimately leave us feeling more empty than before. The two disciples were, in a sense, escaping; leaving behind the place of pain and confusion. Had they continued without encountering Jesus, their story might have remained one of disappointment. But that meeting changed everything. This reminds us that while our escapes may offer temporary comfort, they cannot provide lasting fulfilment. True transformation comes when we encounter Christ, when we allow his presence to meet us where we are and lead us forward.
So perhaps the invitation of this Gospel is twofold. Firstly, to look back with gratitude; recognising those moments and people through whom we have experienced God’s presence. And secondly, to look outward—considering how we might become that presence for someone else. As we move through this week, may we become more aware of the quiet ways Christ walks beside us; and more willing to walk alongside others in turn.
Let us pray.
Loving God, on the road to Emmaus your Son came alongside those who were weary, confused, and afraid, and so we ask that you would come alongside us now as we bring before you the needs of your world. We pray for places where the road is marked by conflict and fear, especially for the people of Gaza, Israel, Lebanon, and the wider Middle East, where so many continue to live with uncertainty, grief, and loss, and where the longing for peace feels distant and fragile.
In these places where violence shapes daily life and hope can feel out of reach, may your presence bring comfort to those who mourn, protection to those in danger, and a deep and lasting peace that no human effort alone can achieve. Walk with them, Lord. Walk with us, Lord.
We remember too the people of Ukraine, Sudan, and all regions of the world where suffering continues away from the headlines, asking that where hope feels distant you would draw near, and where justice is denied you would bring restoration and renewal. Walk with them, Lord. Walk with us, Lord.
We pray for our own nation, the United Kingdom, in this time of economic pressure and uncertainty, remembering those who are struggling with the rising cost of living, those who face difficult choices each day about how to provide for themselves and their families, and those who feel overlooked or left behind in the midst of change. Walk with them, Lord. Walk with us, Lord.
We also hold before you our communities, especially where there is tension, division, or unrest, asking that where anger grows you would bring understanding, where fear takes hold you would bring reassurance, and where relationships have been strained you would bring healing and reconciliation.
Walk with them, Lord. Walk with us, Lord.
We pray for all who serve others in their daily work, including those in healthcare, education, emergency services, and public life, asking that when the burden feels heavy and the road feels long, you would renew their strength, sustain their compassion, and remind them that their work has value and purpose.
Walk with them, Lord. Walk with us, Lord.
We pray for your Church, that it may be a place of welcome, a source of hope, and a faithful witness to your love, and that we may learn to recognise your presence not only in worship but also in the ordinary moments of life, in the breaking of bread, in the sharing of stories, and in the faces of those we encounter each day. Help us, we pray, to become true companions to others, willing to listen, to care, and to walk alongside those who are struggling, so that through us they may come to know that they are not alone. Walk with them, Lord. Walk with us, Lord.
And so we pray for ourselves, asking that when we are lost you would walk with us, when we are discouraged you would strengthen us, and when we fail to recognise you, you would gently open our eyes and hearts to your presence. Walk with them, Lord. Walk with us, Lord.
In a moment of silence, we bring before you those known personally to us who are in need of your care and comfort…
(pause for silent prayers) Walk with them, Lord. Walk with us, Lord.
Gather all our prayers, spoken and unspoken, and in your mercy hold them, shape them, and answer them according to your loving will, through Jesus Christ, who journeys with us still. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven hallowed be thy name;
Thy kingdom come; thy will be done;
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. AMEN.
STF 573: Be known to us in breaking bread,
1 Be known to us in breaking bread,
but do not then depart;
Saviour, abide with us, and spread
your table in our heart.
2 There share with us in love divine,
your body and your blood,
that living bread, that heavenly wine,
be our immortal food.
James Montgomery (1771–1854)
Benediction
Remain in peace, knowing that Christ walks beside you on every road you travel.
May your eyes be opened to recognise him, and your life reflect his love to others.
And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be with you and remain with you always. Amen.
