Cut the bread and share the bread.

Good morning, happy Thursday and blessings.

In today's Gospel (Luke 24: 35-48) we read a continuity of the experience of the disciples of the Emmaus Road that we discussed yesterday. You will recall that these two disciples, disconsolate by the death of their would-be Messiah, Jesus, are walking home with darkness in their hearts at the death of hope. The texts begin like this: The two disciples recounted what had taken place on the way, and how Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of bread. While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you."

I love this story! Isn’t this just like Jesus? In the very middle of our trouble and sorrow, right in the heart of the death and gloom and the brokenness of the human condition, Jesus makes his presence known and offers his peace that passes understanding.

Of course, in the table before us there are many moving parts: At this table we are taken back to that first meal with Jesus and his disciples in the upper room, becoming part of the celebration. 

At this table before us we push against empire which says, “We are in control and we are the only game in town! We provide for your every need; we feed you.” And what does Jesus say through the communion of his table? “Not so fast here. These are my people and I provided for them life and healing, meeting of their needs even down to their daily bread!” And, at this table before us we see where the future is going. We see that final, complete banquet that Jesus is preparing for us on that day when the world has finally and completely been wrenched away from empire and evil and has been restored to the reality GOD always intended. 

Jesus is known in the reality of His comfort and we find the reality of his daily comfort in our personal moments of prayer when we hear that still, small voice of the Holy Spirit speaking peace to our soul, in the gathering of two or three from the discipleship-community where the intercessions from GOD’s new humanity rise in our hearts and lift our burdens, in the faithful under-shepherds and deacons who are called to a caring ministry that daily walks with the flock of GOD in honesty and sacrifice, and in the gathering of worship where our voices give rise to music and our cares are somehow lifted from that meeting in community, causing us to find hope for GOD’s promised future. 

At the table when sharing with Jesus there are two realities that we must follow today: cut the bread and share the bread.

Blessings

Fr. Luis+