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A few years ago I asked this question to children at a grade school Mass right after reading this very same Gospel passage, the passage of the disciples on the road to Emmaus: \u201cWhat does this Gospel passage remind you of?\u201d<\/p>\n
They looked at me puzzled. \u00a0I\u2019m sure most of them had zoned out during the Gospel since the passage is longer than usual, so I reviewed the passage: Jesus first read and explained Scripture to these very sad and discouraged men. \u00a0 Then they sat around a table once they arrived to Emmaus, and while sitting Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them. \u00a0At this breaking of bread, this sharing of bread, the men recognized Jesus and were left overjoyed.<\/p>\n
The school kids got it right away. \u00a0The first hand went up, \u201cSounds like Jesus celebrating the Passover meal again.\u201d \u00a0The little girl was right, I was impressed, but it wasn\u2019t the exact answer I was looking for. \u00a0Another one said, \u201cSounds like the Last Supper.\u201d Yes, I said, but again it wasn\u2019t the answer I was looking for. \u00a0Then another one said, \u201cSounds like the night before Jesus died.\u201d Yes, I said, that was the Last Supper. \u00a0Then another one, \u201cSounds like communion.\u201d<\/p>\n
The kids got it even though no one said the exact answer I was looking for. \u00a0I said, \u201cit sounds like Mass, it sounds like what we\u2019re doing right now.\u201d \u00a0The actions of Jesus with the disciples on the road to Emmaus remind us of the Mass, the Eucharist. It follows the same structure. <\/p>\n
Jesus used this structure on the road to Emmaus. He first cited and proclaimed passages from the Old Testament and then explained them to the two disciples. \u00a0Later they sat at table and Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it to them. It was at this breaking of the bread that the disciples recognized Jesus.<\/p>\n
Our worship as Catholics is faithful to this very basic and ancient structure. We first hear readings from Scripture which are then explained during the homily (the Liturgy of the Word). Then we continue with the blessing of bread which is broken and given to those present (the Liturgy of the Eucharist). <\/p>\n
In the same way the disciples on the road to Emmaus recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread, today, we too recognize Jesus in the breaking of the bread. <\/p>\n
Jesus truly manifests himself to us in the breaking of the bread as he did to the two disciples at Emmaus. Jesus is present, here, now, as we faithfully repeat the actions he instituted and asked us to do in remembrance of him. \u00a0In the same way the two men recognized Jesus in the breaking of bread, we too recognize his true presence in the Eucharist, in the breaking of the bread.<\/p>\n
This encounter with the risen Christ had a deep impact on both men, they said to each other, \u201cWere not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?\u201d \u00a0The encounter makes the men get up and go proclaim what they had experienced. \u00a0They traveled to Jerusalem to proclaim, \u201cThe Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon! They recounted all that had happened.\u201d \u00a0The encounter with Jesus in the breaking of bread moved the disciples into action. \u00a0 They were transformed by the presence of Christ and they responded.<\/p>\n
Every Sunday we have this very same encounter with Jesus. \u00a0How does your encounter with Jesus Sunday after Sunday in the Eucharist move you or transform you? \u00a0Where is he leading you? \u00a0How is your life different because you receive the presence of the living God? <\/p>\n
The presence of Jesus in the Eucharist moves us to deeper faith and prayer. \u00a0It moves us to service and the proclamation of the Gospel. \u00a0It moves us to be merciful and grateful. \u00a0It moves us to put into action the gifts and talents we have received from God. <\/p>\n
This weekend 30 children and young men and ladies received the Eucharist for the first time. \u00a0Do you remember your first communion? \u00a0The excitement and newness of receiving for the first time. \u00a0Your heart was burning within you. \u00a0As we receive today, renew that fire of God\u2019s love as you recognize him in the breaking of the bread.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A few years ago I asked this question to children at a grade school Mass right after reading this very same Gospel passage, the passage of the disciples on the road to Emmaus: \u201cWhat does this Gospel passage remind you of?\u201d They looked at me puzzled. \u00a0I\u2019m sure most of them had zoned out during […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2533,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-142","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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