He has appeared

The gospel today recounts the road of encounter as the disciples meet Jesus after the resurrection. Jesus walks with them unknown to them.

Pause there for a moment. Jesus is present to them and they remain imperfect to him. How often is this the case in our life? Jesus is near to us yet we fail to recognize him who journeys with us along the way.

Then only in the breaking of the bread does his appearance materialize before them. In the action of the Eucharist, Jesus makes himself known.

The disciples describe it as an appearance, "he has appeared to us" they recall.

In fact more correctly Jesus doesn't appear but rather he makes himself seen. He chooses the action of the Eucharist, the breaking of bread to make himself known. What was hidden and out of sight is now visible to the senses. Jesus makes himself seen.

This means that Jesus after the resurection is different. He belongs to a sphere of reality which is normally withdrawn from our senses. In the Eucharist he invites us to step into this reality that is beyond our senses. He invites us to enter into this "new" way of being that belongs to God.

This is his gift to us in the breaking of the bread. What a gift this is? Already in the Eucharist we get a taste of what lies ahead for us. This is truly an anticipation and a making present of life in the Blessed Trinity.

He has appeared to us. How often? Every time we gather at the altar and enter into the action of breaking bread. This us why in the Acts of the apostles we are told that the early church devoted themselves daily to the breaking of the bread. Who could ever just limit themselves to once a week? Who would dare refuse to be drawn into reality itself as Jesus makes himself seen in the bread that us blessed, the bread that is broken, the bread that is given for the life of the world.

The Eucharist and the resurrection are inseparable; the resurrection makes the Eucharist and the Eucharist prepares us for the resurrection:"he who eats my body and drinks my blood will not die but have eternal life."

In deed he has made himself known. What a gift!