Faith Learned, Faith Lived: Lenten Meals Rich in Meaning

The Year of Faith is a celebration of our calling to follow Christ. We are called to come to know Jesus in our commitments as members of the ACE community. I hope our faith journey is helping us discover Jesus in the ordinary things that we do as teachers and leaders in Catholic schools and as advocates for Catholic education.

You know how some people read the end of a book before they start reading it from the beginning. This makes me think of Jesus’ disciples when they discovered that He was raised from the dead. That leads me to a proposal I’ll make for living Lent this year.

Let us begin by reading Luke 24: 13–35.

This is a great Easter reading. Two of the disciples meet the risen Lord on the road to Emmaus, a town about seven miles from Jerusalem. They are walking along and meet a stranger who is the Risen Lord. They are not able to recognize him, but they discuss all that has been going on with Jesus, whom they had hoped would be the one to redeem Israel. They share a meal with this person and discover in the breaking of bread that this is Jesus. They later say to each other that their hearts were burning within them as Jesus spoke to them.

Here is something to consider. There is nothing more ordinary than sharing a meal with friends. When I think about meals, I think of the words of a priest who used to tell us this: “A meal is a social gathering at which food happens to be present.”

I like this because I know that some of the best moments occur when I am gathered with friends to share a meal. ACE communities come together at the end of a day for dinner. But it is more than the meal that happens. The time of preparation can be special. There is conversation, laughter, and sharing stories while someone is cooking and others gather in the kitchen to help or just be together. I see meals beginning with the time of preparation and extending to the actual praying together and then enjoying what is being served.

There are two important discoveries that can happen in the breaking of bread by a small community of teachers. The first discovery is the friendship, love, and support that the community gives to each other. Stories are told, and people laugh and delight in being together. The second discovery—a really important thing that happens—is to find that it is Christ who is in the midst of the food, stories and enjoyment of being together.

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on February 13. I pray that all of us in the ACE movement will discover that, when we come together for a meal, it is time to look for Christ in the midst of the people we are with. I cannot think of a better way to build community than to see that our hearts are on fire with the love of Christ. If we notice Christ in our midst at a meal, we will see Christ in our students and school community.

Let us pray that we will find Christ during this Lent in the ordinary events of our lives.