Hello dears
Thank God it’s Friday, we may have the opportunity to recharge over the weekend. In today’s Holy Nougat, we have an opportunity to ponder anew the marriage of faith and works through Jesus’ prayer and actions:
“As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!” Luke 24:30-31 NLT
Before each meal; Jesus seemed to have practiced the same routine :Take, Pray, Serve. Pretty simple huh. He took the food (or drink) from its location, blessed the food, then served those in His presence. A fairly practical routine, especially when food security didn’t seem to be guaranteed. Even after returning from God’s presence, Jesus’ action remained the same – Take, Pray, Serve.
What is noteworthy though, is that Jesus was invited for a meal by the despairing disciples, devastated by the tensions surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion. Jesus, the guest in their home, took what was offered and blessed it. Then He, their guest, served them.
Let’s unpack some of these actions:
Although a guest, Jesus assumed the position of host. He initiated the food distribution; just like normal. This suggests that we ought to be concerned about the needs of those around us, even if they seem to be doing well. Not only are things sometimes different than they seem; we are called to share the Bread of Life (Jesus) with others. This suggests that when those around us are despairing, those are situations where we can quietly take leadership, especially by praying in our hearts.
Conversely, Jesus also assumed the role of a servant – He gave each of them the food after it was blessed. There is a sense in which the act of sharing the food prepared with those around assures us that Jesus retained His humility. How we respond when we are accorded positions of power and/or prestige also testifies about our faith. Service ought to be part of our routine.
But Jesus also blessed the bread. When sending the disciples out to evangelize, Jesus insisted that they offer peace (a blessing) to the household that welcomed them. Do we bless those who extend hospitality of any kind to us? Are we ready to offer Gods presence and peace to others? That too can be part of our witness.
Having reflected on Jesus routine actions, we also reflect on the impact of same. By the time Jesus finished serving the disciples, they KNEW Who He was. It is easy for us to be mistaken for others when we’re all masked and distanced. But when our faith habits remain consistent, we may impact those around us who are desperate and dying for the Gospel (ie for Good News of salvation and mercy) in these trying times. First, we also need to eat of the Bread of Life.
And finally, we note that having helped them to recognize the Truth of God’s promises, having served and blessed; Jesus took His leave. He had other work to do. Sometimes it is important that we disappear after completing a task for God, lest we misconstrue our own roles in serving others. The glory is always God’s, and not ours.
May Christ Jesus be seen in us as we also Take, Pray and Serve.
In Christ’s love and grace . . .
