Made Known

In the 24^th Chapter of John’s Gospel there is a wonderful resurrection story. As two disciples were leaving Jerusalem, on their way to the town of Emmaus, they encountered a person who seemed to not know of the tragic events of the crucifixion. It wasn’t until they engaged in an activity as common and ordinary as eating that they realized that the stranger was the Risen Lord. They immediately returned to Jerusalem to tell the others what had happened, “and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.”

Today, communities around the world gather in the name of the Risen Lord and break bread together. A simple act of sharing in common, ordinary, everyday bread and wine. But for us, these ordinary elements draw us more deeply into relationship with God, the creator and maker of all that is.

Why bother? One might wonder. It says in the same story that their hearts burned within them. There is great excitement and joy in communion, in sharing together in this way and in seeing that the bread and wine are the Body and Blood of Jesus the Christ. This is the excitement and joy of new love, a love that is new every day, every hour, every moment. A love that is shouted at us by a God who loves us, who created us to be loved.

The disciples in the story couldn’t just sit on the Good News, they returned to Jerusalem because the love of God calls them to action. And we can’t sit on the Good News either. We look for the Risen Lord in the breaking of bread (communion), in baptism, in coffee hour, in our offering, in all that we do. And when we see the face of Jesus in the people around us – don’t sit on it, but share the Good News that the Lord is Risen! Alleluia!