April 21 Third Sunday of Easter Lk 24/13-35

Background.

The Easter experience of the early Christians was that a union which had been rent by death had been restored in loving communion. Jesus, who had been with them and then was with them no longer, now was with them again, indeed more closely united with them then ever before. They were especially moved that repeatedly he ate with them. What better sign of a communion of love with those whom you love and who love you than breaking bread together. Then they began to understand that when they gathered together around the table for their common meal that Jesus was still with them and would always be with them. The Eucharist became a celebration of the presence of Jesus among them even when he wasn't visibly present. The trick was to see him present among the others when they broke bread together. So the story of the two disciples who were getting out of town while the getting was good became a eucharistic story, a story which said that Jesus was present whenever the community of his followers broke bread together and indeed whenever people who loved one another ate a common meal.

Story.

Once upon a time a husband and a wife were having a lot of conflict with one another. They fought over money, they fought over the time they spent with their family, they fought over where they would go on their vacations, they fought over their children, and, of course, they fought over what the fights were about. Once the man and woman had been deeply in love with one another. They thought that they were still in love with one another. Only there were so many things to do in life that the conflicts had filled up the time that used to be devoted to love. They knew they weren't close to anything like divorce. Well, not yet anyway. Finally the man suggested one night that they get a baby sitter and go out for dinner. The woman said they didn't have time for that any more, but the man insisted. (I realize tht usually in such stories it is the woman who insists. But I thought I'd fight gender stereotyping in this story). Well, the meal was wonderful and they relaxed and had a good time and a great conversation and saw how silly their quarrels had been and how easy it would be to avoid them, especially if they went out for dinner more often. You know, the wife said on the way home, it was almost as though God were with us while we were eating, guiding us to see how foolish we've been. (Again I fight gender stereotyping by giving the man's line to the woman). Maybe, her husband replied, he was. Maybe it's not just at Mass that Jesus is present among us.