COME AND HAVE BREAKFAST
On Easter I said the issue before us was not the Resurrection but the
empty tomb. We move quickly enough to the post-Resurrection
appearances where the risen Christ encounters the disciples and each of
us. In all these accounts, eating is a central part of
recognizing the risen Jesus: In one account when they are still
hiding for fear Jesus comes among them and says, “Have you anything to
eat?” Then the Road to Emmaus story culminates in the disciples
recognizing Jesus as they break bread together at the end of the
day. Today’s story from John, a favorite of mine, is set in a
common enough place – a beach where Jesus cooks breakfast for his
friends, then invites them to come and join him. “Come and have
breakfast.”
The sacredness of a meal with Jesus became the center of church life a
long time ago. The sung refrain, “The Disciples knew the Lord Jesus in
the breaking of the bread” is often used at Communion because it is how
we know him. Or is that the case? Knowing Jesus in the
breaking of the bread is central to our worship but we need constant
reminding of that Good News so we don’t fall into a casual familiarity
that dulls our awareness.
“Come and have breakfast,” says the Savior. If you respond to the
invitation, then you are placing yourself in the presence of the Risen
One. If you respond to the invitation then you, like Peter, need
to be prepared for the challenge of the Resurrection.
In a Eucharistic Prayer not often used in our worship we say, “Deliver
us from the presumption of coming to this Table for solace only and not
for strength; for pardon only, and not for renewal.” That is
precisely what happens with Peter (and I suspect with the others as
well). They are ashamed because they ran away; they know they
have fallen short of their Lord’s commands; they can’t face him because
to do so means something so radical in transformation that it frightens
them; they realize intuitively their life of fishing as they knew it is
about to end.
Jesus understands our reluctance just as he did theirs. If I say
yes to the Risen Lord I may be laughed at or worse let down at a
critical moment. If I say yes, I know the Risen Jesus in my life,
will I be seen as foolish for believing that?
So, Jesus offers the Disciples and us, a table set with a place for us
to come with our skepticism, doubt and reluctance. But it is also
a place where we will be challenged, as Peter is, to DO MINISTRY, to
feed others. “Simon do you love me? …feed my sheep.
If you pay any attention to what happens in daily life you will see
that we are placed amid folk who wait to be fed. What we have to
offer is not ourselves but the Risen One, Jesus, who will feed
them. All we need do is invite them to the table. If we are
honest we are given opportunities to do just that on a frequent
basis. At St. James’ we have nothing to be ashamed of when
we invite people to this fellowship of love and prayer. And we
can also invite them to the best breakfast in town! But it is the
liturgy, the spiritual encounter with the Risen Jesus, where he will
likely enter their lives. The liturgy is designed to do that, and
we are able to offer it to all who seek him, even if they don’t know
what it is they are looking for.
Years ago a woman who was an active member of a parish I served had a
reputation as being a bit of a crank. I liked her, but she wasn't
everyone's pal. I knew she had returned to this small community,
followed by her son who was dying of AIDS. The church accepted
her and him and ministered to them both until his sad death. Then
her mother came to live with her until she also died. After that
it seemed that Edith (not her real name) was prickly and unpredictable,
and she traveled much of the time, to the relief of many!
One weekend she attended a regional meeting, participated in the Bible
Study, the agenda, and then returned to her parish where I was to be
the next morning. After the Eucharist and a sermon that wasn’t
anything exceptional in its style or content, she came to me with tears
in her eyes and said, “After the Bible Study yesterday and the sermon
and Eucharist today I’m not angry anymore.” And the words came to
me, “The Disciples knew the Lord Jesus in the breaking of the
bread.” Edith was a changed woman, positive, helpful and
delightful to know. The Risen Lord did that for her. She
traveled less and became more involved in her community and church as a
witness.
Do you really not think the Risen Lord is capable of changing us?
Do you honestly doubt the ability of the son of God to heal the pain,
fear and doubt in your life? Do you wonder if it’s all a made up
thing, this Christianity, and do you wonder why you do it because it
seems to be unrelated to 21st century living and the overwhelming needs
of the world? Well, just take a few minutes this morning to
respond to the invitation to come to this table, to come and have
breakfast. Tell Jesus you come with some skepticism, a bit of
fear and even perhaps some embarrassment, and come anyway. Then,
let him break bread with you.
“The Disciples knew the Lord, Jesus in the breaking of the
bread.” May each of us come to know him as the Risen Christ,
powerful in action, and yet needing us as partners in mission to feed
his sheep.
Amen
The Rev. Ben Helmer
St. James' Episcopal Church
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
18 April 2010