Can we learn to recognize Jesus in others? Today’s reflection reminds us that Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection is on-going in our own day, and that we, too, can be touched by his presence.

April 19, 2026: Third Sunday of Easter
Acts 2:14, 22–33
Psalm 16:1–2, 5, 7–11
1 Peter 1:17–21
Luke 24:13–35

In the Breaking of the Bread: Seeing Christ in the World

A reflection by Ann Penick

Christ is Risen! He has risen indeed! Today is the 3rd Sunday of the Easter Season. The readings today show us how Jesus’ followers came to believe in the Resurrection. These readings call us to live with hope and trust in the promise he gave to his disciples two millennia ago, which is the same promise he gives to us!

In the first reading from Acts, Peter tells those gathered in Judea of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Peter speaks with faith and courage in sharing the Good News. This is a message of love, mercy, and forgiveness. God welcomes all those who welcome the truth and seek inner transformation.

The second reading from 1 Peter is a letter to Christians who lived in the northern and eastern parts of Asia Minor. Peter urges and encourages them to be faithful to their calling from God and that this calling is a free gift from the grace of God.

Last Sunday’s gospel narrative was about the disciples who came together in the Upper Room behind locked doors out of fear of the religious and state authorities. Today’s gospel narrative is about another appearance of Jesus, this time with other disciples who were walking from Jerusalem, feeling dejected and defeated, headed to a nearby place called Emmaus. Two disciples are walking this road and they meet someone along the way who talks with them and explains the Scriptures to them. Eventually, to their astonishment, they recognize him later that day when he was at table with them, breaking bread with them.

You and I are much like those disciples on the road to Emmaus who are concerned over events happening in their lives. They were talking about all the terrible events they had experienced during the previous days in Jerusalem, about the betrayal by Judas, and the hatred the religious authorities and the Roman state authorities held against Jesus.
We are not living in the greatest of times right now, either. There are so many things going on around us and we are inundated with fear: economically, globally, socially, environmentally, along with the uncertainty of war. All of this is having a huge impact on us psychologically, emotionally, and in what we are feeling. We need to pause, to reflect, to pray, and ask ourselves what we are really hearing and what we are really seeing. How can we recognize Jesus in all of this? What brought the disciples to recognize Jesus was in “the breaking of the bread.”

Can we learn to recognize Jesus in others? When we encounter broken-hearted people, Jesus is there. When we offer comfort to someone whose spirit is broken, Jesus is there. When we meet someone experiencing pain, loss, and suffering, Jesus is there. “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me” (Matthew 25:35-36).

Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection is not something that only took place a long time ago. It is on-going in our own day. We live in times when people have sinned, and our own sins have clouded the face of Christ. At times Christ is not recognized in our world and at times when he is recognized there are those who seek to remake him in their image.

Jesus is present with us in Word and Sacrament and can open our hearts to a deeper understanding of revelation. We, too, can experience spiritual growth through our personal relationship with Jesus the Christ. We, too, can be touched by his presence whether it be through our brothers and sisters, through the Eucharist, through prayer, or through the Scriptures.

In our lives, we are all walking our own roads to Emmaus. Like those two disciples, can we and will we be able to recognize Jesus walking with us? Will we be able to recognize him in the “breaking of the bread?”

Ann Penick is originally from the Chicago area. She now lives in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Ann was ordained a priest with Roman Catholic Womenpriests in 2011. Ann has been serving the faith communities of Dignity Washington and Northern Virginia Dignity as one of their presiders since 2017. She also served on the board of DignityUSA. In addition she has been pastoring a faith community of young families in Washington D.C. since 2013.