Eastertide

April 26, 2020

Scripture Reading:
Luke 24:13-35

As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, ‘Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.’ So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?’ That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, ‘The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!’ Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. –Luke 24:27-35

Christ is made known to us each time we break and share bread. Eating together is one of the oldest symbols of community where together we assure that each person present gets some of the very staff of life.

Jesus brought a message of salvation for all God’s children as he sent his disciples forth to carry his salvation and love to the ends of the earth. It is not easy to open our hearts to such breadth of love when we have been carefully taught to be cautious of the other. Cultural norms are hard to even recognize as influencing our behavior, much less change them.

Paul had to deal with this issue in his first letter to the church at Corinth (see 1 Corinthians 11:17-34). He writes instructions about people who arrived early. He did not want them to continue the practice of eating all the food before others came. The early birds might have been from the middle or upper class. They might have provided much of the food being offered. The late arrivers were most likely the working-class people arriving late because of the hours they had to work. Paul told the early arrivers if they were hungry, they should eat before they come. The food used to celebrate the Last Supper was to be shared equally.

I do not think Jesus envisioned a world where all had the same amount of wealth. I do believe he expects us to live together in a world where everyone has enough to meet their basic needs. And in a world where one’s wealth is the result of the oppression of the other.

Prayer: God of Love, help us examine ourselves to find where our behavior is driven by anything other than loving as you love. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.