A grandmother I know loves to go on walks with her 7 year old grand-daughter.
When they set out, they have a ritual of holding hands.
In those first few moments, my friend will take her granddaughter’s hand and squeeze it three times.
It’s their little code - and it means ‘I love you.’
Then, Covid-19 arrived - and the lockdown.
And the 7-year-old, unable to be with her grandmother, lamented during a video call,
‘Grandma, I miss you so much - I want to feel you squeeze my hand three times!’
‘Ah!’ said her grandmother -
‘And I want to take your hand in mine just as badly.
‘Of course, we can’t right now because we are wisely separated from one another.
‘But don’t you worry, we will be reunited soon -
‘And I will squeeze your hand over and over again.'
Then the Grandmother added:
‘Until then, please know that I am always thinking about you and praying for you.
’So please remember: You don’t need to feel my love to have my love.’
This Sunday you and I will hear a famous Bible story about two men who, after Jesus’ resurrection, were walking along a road when the Risen Christ joined them.
But they were unable to recognize him, even though they walked with him, talked with him, and had dinner with him: they didn’t know Jesus was with them.
As you and I go into ‘day whatever’ of this seemingly endless lockdown - we may also start to feel like God is distant or absent as well.
But the challenge of faith is that we don’t need to feel God’s presence to have God’s presence.
So you and I wisely endeavor to act as if Christ were here - no only assuring us of his provision, but inviting us to get on with the work - and to be brave and even bold about moving outside ourselves to tend to the frightened, the afflicted, and the vulnerable - it’s as if Christ were saying, ‘I’ve got your back, all will be well - now here are some things to do...'
Let us have faith and get on with the work - for Christ is here.
