The Breaking of Bread

An event which took place in the town of Emmaus during a pilgrimage to the Holy Land

The Breaking of Bread

 Twenty years ago I was the leader of a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. a group of a dozen people from all walks of life. Christians. People many of who were travelling for the first time to the Holy Land. A group who wanted to see the various places where Christ had lived, walked, preached and healed people. The place of his birth, death and resurrection. We spent ten days there and were guided on our way by a professional guide, a Palestinian who was knowledgeable and  determined to make us have a memorable and meaningful pilgrimage. He was a Muslim who knew his land well and revered it as the Holy land for all people.

Day after day we travelled the countryside from Nazareth, to Bethlehem, from Jerusalem to the River Jordan. On the penultimate day of the pilgrimage we visited to town of Abu Gosh, which historically was the town of Emmaus. The scene in the gospels where two of the disciples of Jesus were travelling to immediately following the crucifixion in Jerusalem. As they walked along they were met by Jesus but they failed to recognise him. We are told that they spoke avidly of the events in Jerusalem and as the day was far spent they invited Jesus to eat with them and stay the night.

During the course of the meal Jesus took break, a he had at the Last Supper, broke the bread and gave it to them to eat. On doing this he disappeared from their sight. Then they knew who the stranger was and returned to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples that they had seen the risen Lord.

Along with my group of pilgrims we arrived in Emmaus and went directly to the crusader church in the town where it had been arranged that I would celebrate a Mass. We were greeted by a French Dominican monk and I was taken to the sacristy to vest myself in preparation for the Mass. As I entered the sanctuary of the church I was made aware in a most profound sense that I was where Christ had himself broken bread. The mass proceeded with all my pilgrims in attendance. Then came the most important part of the Mass when the priest says the dominical words, the words Christ said at the Last Supper. I took hold of the host and broke it in two pieces. As I did so I became mesmerised as tiny fragments of the bread boke away and suspended themselves in the air above the altar. Then slowly they fell. It was as if suspended animation had taken place. I felt overwhelmed by what I had seen..

Then the words of the gospel came to me. They recognised him in the breaking of the bread and he disappeared from their sight.