So what is it with Jesus and food?
Several of the Sundays of the Easter Season have unofficial titles, like Doubting Thomas Sunday for the second Sunday last week, and Good Shepherd Sunday for the fourth Sunday, next week.
Today, the third Sunday, we always have a reading involving Jesus being encountered at an event involving food. Blessing and breaking bread, or eating fish, or cooking fish and bread by the sea shore.
Today the disciples encounter Jesus with food, they recognize Jesus because of the food, because of how Jesus handled the food, blessing and breaking the bread.
So what is it with Jesus and food? And what should be the unofficail title for this Sunday? Jesus and food Sunday? Breaking Bread Sunday? Jesus loves fish Sunday?
Jesus is recognized because of food. Blessing, breaking, eating, cooking.
It isn’t just that food is holy, or that we take it for granted, or that we abuse it.
It isn’t just that Jesus’ miracles involved an overflowing abundance of bread and fish and feeding the hungry.
I think it was because Jesus enjoyed food and company. Fellowship. The Felowship.
Sharing food. It brings people together. When done right, it brings people together, and that is the stuff of God. I think that is the Jesus thing. And the disciples recognized that.
These are divisive times. Fretful times.
What breaks us apart?
These are also creative times, finding ways to be together and apart at the same time, to honor the cohesivness of society, of each other.
What brings us together?
When food is done right, how does it cross the divisions?
The long walk to Emmaus. That is what we hear today. It is only seven miles. An afternnoons walk. A lot can happen in seven miles and at the meal afterward.
Jesus breaks open the scripture.
Jesus breaks open the bread.
He breaks open their eyes.
Jesus must be broken and rise for the broken world to be gathered together.
The broken one breaks open our closed hearts.
He breaks our brokenness.
He breaks our divisions.
What gathers us together? That is food for thought.