Hear the sermon now, "Give Us Today Our Broken Bread" - Fr. Christopher Caudle

Sermon Summary — Luke 24:13–35 (Road to Emmaus)

Fr. Christopher Caudle follows the story of two discouraged disciples walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus after Jesus’ crucifixion. They interpret the cross as the death of their hope, even though they’ve heard reports of the empty tomb and angels. Jesus joins them, though they don’t recognize him, and rebukes their slowness to believe. He then interprets the Scriptures (Moses and the Prophets) to show that the Messiah had to suffer before entering glory—teaching that the Bible ultimately points to Christ, not to self-focused moral improvement.

At the meal in Emmaus, Jesus takes the bread, gives thanks, breaks it, and shares it; their eyes are opened, and they recognize him. Reflecting afterward, they name the “burning heart” experience that came through conversation, prayer, the opening of Scripture, and the breaking of bread. Their encounter reverses their despair: they immediately return to Jerusalem with joyful witness, adding their testimony alongside others’ resurrection encounters.

Two applications for “living as Easter people.”

Pray “Give us today our daily bread” as a prayer for generosity.
Daily bread should include “enough to share,” so that generosity becomes a real practice. The sermon connects this to God’s heart for the poor (e.g., Isaiah 58, Job 31, Sirach 34) and to the idea that the cross turns apparent loss into bounty—leading the parish to help people in crisis through giving.

Look for Christ in the breaking of bread (and use meals to heal division).
Communion may feel powerful or ordinary, but God is present either way. Beyond church, shared meals can become places where Jesus is recognized and where relationships are healed—especially when we eat with the kinds of people Jesus ate with (the excluded, the different, the overlooked). The sermon warns against hatred and division as incompatible with Jesus and urges believers during Eastertide to practice intentional table fellowship so others may see God more clearly and be moved to praise.

Prayer

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