“The Last Supper” by
Leonardo Da Vinci
Before each gathering of our small group Breaking the Silence we have a meal. It is in the “breaking of the bread’ that we really get to know and appreciate each other.
I mentioned that today since it is Holy Thursday, the day we remember the first ‘breaking of the bread’ by Jesus at the Last Supper. In Jesus’ time meals together were a major event. People strictly ate with their own class of people. Jesus broke that tattoo and broke break with peasants, rich, poor and even sinners. In the Gospels Jesus is usually eating a meal, healing someone or preaching.
After the Resurrection from the dead of Jesus a few of his disciples were walking to a town called Emmaus when a stranger joined them. The disciples did not know they Jesus had risen from the dead. They engaged in some good conversation and stopped at the inn for a meal. It was in the ‘breaking of the bread’ they recognized it was Jesus they were talking with.
Very few families, according to news, eat dinner together on a regular basis. There is sports, extra curriculum activities, health club, meetings, work that regularly schedule activities during traditional dinner time.
I know when my wife is at work at dinner time and I do not have friends over for dinner I just grab some leftovers and sit in front of the TV. Dinner and conversation go together.
So today some Christians celebrate Jesus’ last meal with his friends and family before it was killed by the Roman authorities for treason. In fact the ‘breaking of the bread’ goes out each day in some Christian masses. ‘Breaking of the bread’ is a good way to remember the life of Jesus and the way he taught us to live. Sadly the last ‘breaking the bread’ was following by death of Jesus. But one of the first things he did after his Resurrection from the dead was make a meal and break bread with some of his disciples who had gone out on the lake fishing.
Tomorrow we celebrate the death of Jesus on the cross. Some of us will make the Stations of the Cross of Nonviolent Love by marching with a cross from the Federal building symbol of Money for War to Marquette University, symbol of Teaching War. These are the modern day ‘sins’ that we must repent for and like Jesus take up the cross. Fortunately we know there is always another ‘braking of the bread’ which we receive the ‘bread of life’ in community with family and friends and recognize Jesus.
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