Their eyes were opened in the breaking of the Bread

Their Eyes Were Opened by the Breaking of the Bread III Sunday of Easter “The two disciples recounted what had taken place on the way, and how Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of bread.” Luke 24, 35 Today’s gospel is an continuation of the Emmaus story. On Easter Sunday we heard that story, Cleophas and the unamed disciple probably his wife Mary were walking to Emmaus and Jesus appeared to them. Jesus was with them, he explained the scriptures to them. They could see him, they could hear him but they didn’t recognize him. It wasn’t until the breaking of the bread that there eyes were opened. For us Catholic Christians these words are obvious. The breaking of the Bread is the celebration of the Eucharist. When Jesus celebrated the Eucharist with them their eyes were opened. This is where the story continues again today, they begin by telling the others how they saw Jesus, where? In the breaking of the Bread. This language is very familiar to us. At the table, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. Luke had just used it a couple of chapters ago. The opening of the Scriptures was necessary, it is important, but it was not enough. We find Jesus fully when we are in communion with him in the meal of the kingdom, the source of our life, the bread of life, the manna from heaven, the wine of forgiveness, the meal of the nourishment that leads to new and eternal life. It is not a cannibalistic eating of the flesh and blood of a dead corpse, the flesh and blood of mortal, fallen creatures. It is the Body and Blood of the risen Christ – the deified Body and Blood which can vanish before your eyes, and even go through locked doors, but it can still be touched. It is real, Jesus is real. The risen, deified Body and Blood enters Heaven itself, the place no mortal flesh and blood can enter. Thomas was invited to touch Jesus, the disciples in today’s Gospel were invited to touch Jesus as well. But to prove that it is really Jesus what does Jesus do? He shares a meal with the disciples. Today it is a piece of baked fish, in Emmaus it was a loaf of bread; but whenever Jesus sits down to dine with his followers we always think of the Eucharist. The disciples could touch Jesus, we can touch Jesus we can eat him as well. We eat and drink Christ and eternal life is given to us, it flows through us, and our eyes are opened because we join Christ in the table of the kingdom. We eat him, and we eat with him, and we are gathered to him and to one another, so that we might be one. In the Eucharist, Christ is with us in the fullest way in this life. It is here that we meet God and thus our eyes are opened. It is here that we recognize him. Of course he is always with us. He was with the disciples before he walked with them in that road, for Christ is everywhere. He drew closer, however, when he walked with them, talked with them, drew them to himself, and explained the Word to them. But he was fully present with them in the breaking of the bread. This is true for us. Christ has ascended to heaven, but in the breaking of the bread he is present with us in a unique way that transcends his omnipresence. After sharing the bread of life the disciples ran back to Jerusalem. The joy of encountering the Risen Christ can only be translated into love, compassion, and zeal to heal others, and to proclaim from the rooftops, he is risen he is risen indeed. St Augustine in one of his sermons had this to say about this passage: Brothers and sisters, but where did the Lord wish to be recognized? In the breaking of bread. We’re all right, nothing to worry about – we break bread, and we recognize the Lord. The risen Lord is with us always, and he brings us to himself especially in the eating of his Body and his Blood. Here he gives himself to us fully, and takes us fully to himself, body and soul. Here, our sins are forgiven, our wounds are healed, our eyes are opened, our souls are strengthened, and the promise is renewed. Here, death and life come together, because the broken Body is the risen Body which gives us life. At the table of the Lord the kingdom comes to us and we are taken up to it, until that day, when we will see him in all of his glory. People often ask me, how do you celebrate Christmas in the United States? What is your celebration of Independence day like? What do you do for a person’s birthday? There are different traditions and customs the world over. But the best way to celebrate Easter is the same here and in the United States. It is the same in Rome and in Tokyo. It is the same the world over: We celebrate Easter in the breaking of the bread!