In the Gospel of Luke, all the events of Easter take place in less than a single day. Yet what a day it was! Jesus was seen early at dawn and ascended to the Father late that night. In the meanwhile, he ate twice, once in Emmaus, and again in Jerusalem. The first name for what we call “Mass” was “breaking of the bread.” We can say then that for the second time since Thursday, Jesus said Mass on Easter Sunday. He appeared before the Eleven, the two disciples from Emmaus, some others, and gave then several teaching moments.

All this took place in Jerusalem, or nearby. Since Luke himself had never been to Judea, he is not clear where Emmaus was. Luke says it was 60 stadia, or 6.8 miles from Jerusalem. But he doesn’t say in which direction. It could not have been East, since that is wilderness desert, dangerous then, and now. It could not have been North, since that was too hilly and not easily travelled at night. The only logical direction was West, on the Joffa Road, halfway to the Mediterranean seashore.

Some 15 miles West of Jerusalem there are ruins of two ancient churches which mark the traditional site of Emmaus. 15 miles is twice 60 stadia, but Luke didn’t know that. Today it is also the site of a military base, first built by the British in 1940 and now occupied by the Israeli Defense Force. Across the street from the base is a Catholic monastery, inhabited by Trappist monks. And not far from there is the only mixed Jewish-Arab community in the world.

I mention the locations of Emmaus because it was important to Luke. The city of Jerusalem is central to the Gospel of Luke and the Resurrection of Jesus. It was – and is – the spiritual center of the world, even of the Universe – all because of what happened during that single day.

Jesus, who had died and been buried was now alive. It took the disciples awhile to recognize the Risen Lord. But when the two disciples of Emmaus – one named Cleopas, the other unnamed and likely his wife – did recognize him it was during “the breaking of the bread,” the Mass.

The location of this event is unknown. For Luke, it is important that it is near Jerusalem, 7 or 15 or however far from the Holy City. Jerusalem is a real place and for Jesus and for Jews and Christians and Muslims as well, it is the symbolic center of the world.

Because it is more than a mere spot on a map, it transcends both place and time.

Here, now, at Bishop Kelly High School in Boise, Idaho, the same Risen Lord breaks bread. We thus encounter the Christ whose own path from suffering to glory sets the pattern for all our lives. It is the only pattern that makes meaning of both life and death. As a community of faith, the events of these past few days have shaken our spirits. We have experienced both sickness and death. We are like the first disciples, distressed, frightened, and somewhat lost on the pathway. Yet, like those early disciples, we also have a companion who explains that suffering has meaning in eventual rejoicing.

To those who ponder the meaning of this Easter day, we have a great consolation in the proclamation: “It is true; he has risen from the dead.”

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