Luke 24:28 As (Jesus and two of his disciples) came near the village to which they were going, (Jesus) walked ahead as if he were going on. 29 But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” 33 That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. 34 They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

It’s interesting to me that the disciples only recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread – not by his voice or his appearance or his teaching. There’s no doubt that sharing in communion is a powerful dimension of Lutheran worship, which is why we celebrate communion at every worship service. It’s also why we have continued sharing communion virtually during the pandemic rather than “fasting” from communion as some have done.

Thank you Lord Jesus that you are truly present in the breaking of the bread and the sharing of the wine. We need you now more than ever. Amen.