The whole purpose for my making the coffee cake was to share it, and it would be a shame if I didn't. This exercise is to teach that God created us to share ourselves with others and if we don't, our purpose for existence is never realized. God made us to be good and to share our goodness with others. If we do not break into a loaf of bread, it cannot be shared. The disciples on the road to Emmaus recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread. He shared His life with them through the scriptures and their hearts were burning within them. If we do not share our life with others, it is a shame, as Jesus tells us to go out to all the nations and tell the good news.
When I would ask people, what is the Good News that we are supposed to share, I always received a variety of answers. The Good News is that Jesus lives and loves us! He didn't die, and we will see Him again when He returns for us. In the meantime, he sent the Holy Spirit to be with us, and to bring us Jesus in the Eucharist until He comes again. If this is our faith, it should be a big part of our family life. But will Jesus find faith on earth when He returns?
Whenever we come together for a meal as a family, it is a time to share our life with one another around the table. Meal-time is an opportune time because everyone has to eat. Having each family member take turns to share this day of their life, is a valuable family ritual. If we have faith that Jesus is present in our day, you would think that Jesus deserves honorable mention in the table talk. But it has been my experience that families do not eat many meals together due to busyiness and conflicting schedules. When the opportunity does present itself, too many times, the television is on or one person monopolizes the conversation, or some family members have nothing to share, etc. I also realize that when there are little ones, it is a miracle to just get dinner on the table among the chaos and everyone actually eats. In that instance, just thanking Jesus is all the honorable mention we can do. But it has also been my experience, that even when given the chance, Jesus is not usually mentioned between husbands and wives, parents and children, extended family, during the course of a meal or day. In fact, it is usually easier for people to talk faith with strangers or friends than with family members. I don't know why that is?
Catholic families are pretty good about praying grace before meals. But after Jesus gave thanks for the bread, He ceremoniously broke it and then shared it with the disciples, and asked that they do this in His memory. Jesus' words at the Last Supper are the same words we hear during the consecration at Mass to remember that Jesus keeps nothing from us, including His body and blood. We receive Him at every Eucharistic meal, after we give thanks and the bread is broken. While we don't share Jesus' actual body and blood at our dinner tables, we can share ourselves with one another in His memory. Instead of keeping things about our life to ourselves, especially how much we love Jesus and seeing Him in our life, let us all enjoy the beautifully home-made gift from God that we each are and share, share, share. It is a shame when we don't!
One of the objectives of our family retreat ministry, was to help families share food together at their dinner table and enjoy sharing some of their life stories with one another. For example, a lot of the children did not know how mom and dad met and fell in love. Likewise, a lot of the parents did not know certain things that had happened to the children at school or with friends. My husband and I would share some of our stories, highlighting the miracles that Jesus worked in our lives, and the intercession of many saints. This type of faith talk always initiated a flood of similar stories from the family members. It was always so wonderful and our hearts would burn within us as we all shared. Jesus was definitely present as we recognized Him in the breaking of the bread.
"When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight. They said to each other, 'Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?' And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the Eleven gathered together and those who were with them, who said, 'The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!' Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread." (Luke 24:30-35)
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