Liberated

This is Luke’s version of the story we heard two weeks ago from John. In the aftermath of the crucifixion, the disciples are hiding. Their sense of being in danger wasn’t an exaggeration – the person they followed was put to death in the way that political activists who defied the Roman Empire were put to death. Perhaps the most beautiful moment in this story is the simple question Jesus asks as they pepper him with questions, dumbfounded that he is alive and with them: “Have you anything here to eat?” Meals are one of the best ways to be with people. Something about sitting down together and eating allows us to see our dining companions more clearly, more lovingly –to loosen some of our preconceived ideas and just take care of one another. It’s not an accident that our most important ritual and sacrament is a meal. What would it do to our families, neighborhoods, and communities if we could set one another free by sharing ourselves with each other?