Recognizing Christ

Scripture/Bible:   Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. 36 As they were saying this, Jesus himself stood among them. 37 But they were startled and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit. 38 And he said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have." 41 And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate before them.44 Then he said to them, "These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled." 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46 and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. Luke 24:35-48

Reflection:  You have to ultimately know him in the breaking of the bread…

How many of us recognize Christ Jesus in the breaking of the bread or, in other words, in a Eucharistic celebration.

You may know a particular famous or popular relative, you may have dined with him and may have had long drawn out conversations with him and even played with him.  Yet all this knowledge of him and about him is of very little significance if you didn’t recognize nor know that quality of his which endears him to his people.   You may one day even occupy his seat and he may even expect that from you but if you do not know him in those particular qualities of his then you will never really be successful in his footsteps.

Similarly, the greatest ever Rabi to have walked the earth, in his simplicity and love for us, could have, after his resurrection, revealed himself to this disciples at the outset or along the way.  There was nothing that could have stopped him from revealing himself. What is more there were wounds in his side and I am sure he only had to show the marked features of his glorified face to them and it would not have been difficult for them to behold and recognize.

Yet Jesus allows them the eternal privilege of revealing himself in and through the eternal sacrifice on the cross; the breaking of the bread.  It is not a symbolic revelation but a real presence and much more real than his physical presence with them; a presence in which the apostles recognized him and in retrospect his physical presence too.

He expects his disciples to recognize him in that presence.  So if anyone is a true disciple of his then he has to graduate to that goal of recognizing the real presence of Jesus in the bread and from that presence recognize Jesus in his fullness in total retrospect.

Eucharist; "the source and summit of the Christian life" Lumen gentium, no. 11; cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1324.

Prayer:  Prepare my heart Lord to recognize you in the most holy Eucharist and thereon to keep seeking your presence and glory in all that I do.

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