"They came to know him in the breaking of the bread."

Today we have breaking news.

Breaking records.

Breaking hearts.

Usually this means a diminishment, especially with broken hearts.

But in today's Gospel, "the breaking of the bread" means a wider distribution. On the Road to Emmaus, the disciples felt their hearts burning, but not breaking.

In the Eucharist many become one.

On the cross,

Christ's Body was broken.

His blood was poured out so we

might now share in his Resurrection Glory.

In the Emmaus story, it is precisely his actions with bread and wine that portend the Eucharistic presence.

From the Didache a first century Chrisian source:

"Even as the broken bread was scattered over the hills, and was gathered together and became one, so let Thy Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into Thy Kingdom, for thine is glory through Jesus Christ forever."

And so we pray with Saint Thomas Aquinas:

O Holy Banquet

in which Christ is received,

the soul is filled with grace,

and there is given to us:

a pledge of future glory.

Amen