My 'Emmaus' encounter with the Reverend Jesse Jackson

"A man must be willing to die for justice. Death is an inescapable reality and men die daily, but good deeds live forever."

-- Jesse Jackson

By J. Basil Dannebohm

The Reverend Jesse Jackson once said, “I am not a perfect servant. I am a public servant doing my best against the odds. As I develop and serve, be patient. God is not finished with me yet.”

On February 17th, 2026, God called our brother Jesse home.

Jackson was born on October 8th, 1941 in Greenville, South Carolina. He rose to prominence during the civil rights era, participating in demonstrations alongside the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. He fought against injustice to his last breath and his activism spanned decades.

“Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the Jackson family said in a statement.

Civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton said in a statement, "Reverend Jackson stood wherever dignity was under attack, from apartheid abroad to injustice at home. His voice echoed in boardrooms and in jail cells.”

On the morning of his death, I wept as I drove to St. George Orthodox Cathedral for Divine Liturgy. Between the tears, I prayed for the repose of Jesse’s soul.

For me, Reverend Jackson’s death was personally devastating.

Like Jesse, I devoted much of my career to both ministry and public service. We likewise shared some very similar neurological issues.

But the connection didn’t stop there.

Seven years ago, my flight was delayed at Chicago’s O'Hare Airport. I decided to stop into one of the concourse restaurants for bite to eat while I passed the time. There were no seats available. Just as I was turning around to leave, a gentleman tapped me on my shoulder.

"Sir," he said. "My boss sent me over to invite you to join him at his table."

He pointed to a table where the Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr. was seated. I couldn't believe my eyes.

As I approached, Reverend Jackson stood up, shook my hand, and invited me to sit down. I remember being awestruck. I stand 5' 11". He was at least 6' 3". But for some reason he seemed much taller, dare I say larger than life.

Reverend Jackson said he invited me to join him because I looked tired. He elaborated, "Not just fatigued. Like something is weighing you down."

I had a lot on my mind that particular evening. It had nothing to do with the delayed flight, though. In fact, it was one of my darkest hours.

He invited me to eat, drink, and share if I felt inclined. There was no pressure.

Though I tried to play it cool, I broke down, wept, and poured my heart out to him. He listened. He didn't judge. When I finished, he took my hands and told me everything was going to be alright. He shared some thoughts without talking down, preaching, or making it feel too much like advice. When he concluded, I felt like a heavy weight had been lifted. I believed him when he said that everything would be alright.

We spent the next hour or so eating and visiting as if we were old friends. At the end of the meal, he insisted on paying. As we left, he embraced me, thanked me for joining him and sharing, again reiterating that everything would be alright.

In time, everything was indeed alright.

In the Emmaus account we read, “Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.” (Luke 24:31)

That evening at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport was an Emmaus encounter that I will always cherish. I felt the presence of Christ, unconditional love, and hospitality through the Christian witness of the Reverend Jackson, who once said, "Never look down on anybody unless you're helping him up."

He helped me up. For that, I will be eternally grateful.

The world feels darker, emptier, perhaps even a little more frightening without his presence. We know, however, that he is now a guardian angel of sorts, watching over the civil rights movement, our nation, and those impacted by his life. There is still much to be done and many battles against injustice remain to be fought. It’s up to each of us to carry on Jesse’s legacy.

As Reverend Jackson always said, "Keep hope alive."

My thoughts and prayers are with him, former Representative Jesse Jackson Jr., the Jackson family, and the entire Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

With the spirits of the righteous made perfect, give rest also, O Lord, to the soul of Thy servant, the Reverend Jesse Jackson. May his memory be eternal.