&#034;Breaking Bread With Jesus&#034; Aug 26, 2022

Breaking Bread with Jesus

During His time on earth, Jesus spent more time with His disciples than anyone else. They got to know His voice, thoughts, mannerisms, pet peeves and perhaps even His unique facial expressions. When He was crucified, they were devastated in ways to which few of us can relate.

So, when He appeared to two of them on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-34), Jesus prevented them from recognizing Him at first, so He could learn their true passions and feelings about His death. But as Luke 24:29-31 points out, their eyes were opened to everything, including who He really was “when He broke the bread and gave it to them.”

This action resembles His actions in the Last Supper, when He taught them and forewarned them of what was to come. It is the action that strengthens our faith everything we come to Mass to receive Jesus in the Eucharist: Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. We truly receive Jesus into our very bodies so that we can have communion with Him. In the intimate act of eating with the Master, these two disciples knew who He was, and they were immediately encouraged.

When life drags you down and your struggles seem unbearable, your ability to rise above it all hinges on your intimate communion and abiding with Christ.

Do you spend time with Him, praying and reading His words? Just as you spend time with your family, sharing your joys and sorrows with them, do you share all your burdens and victories with Christ? Do you go to Confession to have your souls cleaned and refreshed from the weight of your sinfulness? Do you sit at the table of the Lord to receive food for the journey, the Bread that has come down for Heaven?

In short, do you live each day as though you are in Him? Do you abide? Effective discipleship is entirely dependent upon your abiding relationship with Jesus Christ: in the reception of the Sacraments, in mediating on His Word, and in personal and intimate times of Prayer.

Fr. Robert T. Cooper, Pastor
Divine Mercy Parish and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School