Acts of the Apostles 3:13-15, 17-19 1 John 2:1-5a Luke 24:35-48
Today's gospel begins as the two disciples who had met Jesus on the road to Emmaus are recounting their experience and "how Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of bread. “ And, Lo and Behold! Here he comes again!
Now, at first the scripture says, they were startled; they thought they were seeing a ghost! Jesus shows them his wounds; still, they are incredulous. And so to prove his real presence he asks for something to eat! That seems to have done the trick. This was really Jesus and he was back with them.
A couple of weeks before Easter I stumbled across “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” on television. Since I'm a sucker for musicals, I decided to watch a bit of it before I fell asleep. Well, I watched the whole thing. And looking back on it now I am struck by the importance of eating together that comes up so often in that movie.
When Molly and her husband strike it rich and move to Denver she wants desperately to be welcomed by others. In a painful scene Molly and Johnny crash a neighbor’s dinner party and have the door to the dining room closed in their faces. So they throw a party, and again are rebuffed when no one accepts their invitation. No one will eat with them. It is significant that when the Browns embark upon their European tour they know they are accepted because their new friends eat with them. And, of course, the happy ending occurs …after a harrowing experience on the Titanic… when Denver society shows they are accepted by sharing their hospitality.
There is something about eating together that says we belong to each other.
I enjoy the parish fish bake every Lent. Sure, the food is good… Thank you, Knights,… But, even more importantly, we eat together as a parish family. We break bread together and talk with one another. In spite of our differences, we acknowledge that we belong to each other.
Jesus eats with his disciples again. Despite their behavior during his passion and death, all is forgiven. They belong to him still and he, to them.
May his Body and Blood that we share Sunday after Sunday remind us that, despite our differences, we too belong to each other.
by: Pat Schnee