The words of Eucharist presented to us in the story of
Emmaus draw us into the gift of the Beloved. Jesus takes the
bread, blesses it, breaks it, and then gives it. Their eyes
are opened and they recognize!
These verbs of Eucharist are the center of our coming together, they solidify
the Word, and are proclaimed as our reason for being sent out.
Taken Being drawn
into the mystery. Whether it is
two by two or our own encounter, when Jesus meets us we are taken. Cleopas and his companion, most likely
his wife Mary, have had their dreams shattered. In this isolation we have
seen dreams come to a halt as well.
But taken does not necessarily
mean removed. It can mean being
enveloped; surrounded; included; infused into; to be the Beloved of God.
Blessed Being
blessed in our language seems to imply something positive. What does that mean
for us when hopes are dashed? When there is deep struggle or suffering? When we can’t recognize the Lord
because our hearts are only flickering?
Is this not blessing? The deepest blessing can also come in
the deepest pain; being redeemed through suffering
instead of from suffering. I venture to say some are “seeing” this;
recognizing it during this time of isolation. Minds and hearts opened on their
own Emmaus journey.
Broken We all lead
very broken lives. And that
brokenness reveals much about us. Most often we want to avoid pain instead of
stepping into it where the healing of that jagged tear can mend. Jesus
is telling us as he breaks the bread that this is what should define us. Not
our limitations, but the releasing of grace that allows us to feel “our hearts
burn”! The breaking of the bread tells us who we are and who we belong to. It has been hard to be away from Eucharist.
What a joy to be able to run
towards grace when we are all together once again.
Given To be given
is a total act of surrender. Releasing of your self to another. Jesus, in the most selfless act of all
time, did this for us in order to teach us how to do it for each other. It was his greatest fulfillment and is
to be our as well. Bread has to be broken to be given and only as given do we
understand taken, blessed, broken.
“ We are
tempted in the dark to walk away. But Jesus will find you on the road”
Fr. Ron Rolheiser
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