Almost all
of the post-resurrection appearances involve eating and food. In the days
between the Resurrection and the Ascension, Jesus shows up at meals, sometimes
even asking for food. And every time he does, there is a prayer. "And it came to pass, as He sat at meat
with them, He took bread, and blessed it, and broke, and gave to them."
"God raised Him
on the third day and made Him manifest; not to all the people but to us who
were chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with Him after He rose
from the dead." (Acts 10:40-41)
" Have you here any meat? And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And He took it, and did eat before them". (Lk. 24:43) Jesus seems to be going out of His way to assure his friends that it was really He who was present; not a ghost or vision. It was he, fully alive and in the flesh and able to eat with them.
The disciples must have been shocked to see Jesus when He appears to them, but to calm them, He asks for food. We know from our own experience that some the best memories we have are with family and friends over a good meal.
So Jesus lets them know He is still with them in body. The sight of our Lord eating was taken by them as a manifestation of the truth of the resurrection of the body.
Then there
is the scene with Peter and other disciples after a long day of fishing. They
see the risen Lord calling them from the shore. When they arrive, they find
that He has cooked a breakfast of bread and fish for them and invites them to
“Come, have breakfast.” How comforting!
They who have lost their Lord, who once gave them His own Body to eat, now cooks for them. He reassures them in this simple gesture of nourishment of body.
In His last meal before His death, Jesus gave His Apostles a direct command to insure that whenever they broke bread and drank of His cup, they did so remembering Him.
It is no different for us today. He longs to eat around that table with us every day/ week, as we partake of the Eucharist. He continues to nourish our hearts until we too know resurrection.
(Bottom Painting: Kate Cosgrove)