They were blessed by his presence and grateful to him for having come to them. I n Greek the words for blessing, gratitude, and communion are all related. Consider what this means in Luke's gospel. Luke's story of Jesus begins with the infant Jesus being brought to the temple where he is greeted by the old man Simeon, who then praises God for this gift of salvation. Luke's story of Jesus ends with the disciples being in the temple, praising God after having been blessed by Jesus.
Communion is the sacrament of blessing and gratitude.
It is the sacrament which embodies God's blessing of all the world and the gratitude that blessing evokes from people. Blessing and gratitude are not limited to the sacrament of holy communion, but they are clearly centered in it. T he three major themes in Luke's gospel are all related to one another. If the Gospel of Jesus Christ is for all sorts and conditions of people, then the church is commissioned to embody that catholicity in all that it says and does. If the Gospel of Jesus Christ is centered on repentance and forgiveness, then the church is commissioned to embody that as well in all that it says and does.