But we were hoping that He would be the one to redeem Israel[.] // Luke 24:21

I prayed. Oh how my little heart prayed! And not just me, but thousands of people around the world offered up the same intention: my friend would recover from her sickness, rejoin her family, and live a long and joy-filled life.

We prayed through the intercessions of Saints, through the patronage of Mary, and in the name of Jesus. We prayed with expectancy, confidence, and courage.

And yet, on January 8, 2021, her soul departed from her body, and we who loved her were devastated.

Disappointment cannot begin to describe how my heart was feeling, and yet, I turned to Jesus with just that. Why didn’t He do what I know He could, what I have read in Scripture and believed? I was hoping that He would bring her back to health.

The disappointment of the disciples on their way to Emmaus is relatable. They’ve walked with Jesus and know what He is capable of doing. They believed that “He would be the one to redeem Israel” and bring His Kingdom to earth. But then He was crucified, and their hope seemed to die along with Him.

But here comes Jesus, unrecognizable to their eyes until He breaks Bread with them. The Eucharist changes everything. From downcast gazes and restless wanderings to hearts on fire and an intentional destination, the disciples’ eyes are opened to see that it was Jesus walking with them the whole time: the same Jesus they thought was dead, the same Jesus they thought would overthrow the regime, the same Jesus they thought would be what they wanted, but in turn, was so much more.

Disappointment, devastation, and disillusionment would still be my disposition if I didn’t believe in the Risen Lord Who still opens the Scriptures and breaks Bread through the person of the priest.

When I pray for my friend’s soul, I acknowledge my disappointment, but I’m also reminded that God has always had a plan to use death for our gain, and I’m comforted by the wisdom of the Church that acknowledges that it is “by the Eucharistic celebration we already unite ourselves with the heavenly liturgy and anticipate eternal life, when God will be all in all” (Catechism of the Catholic Church § 1326).