الوجبة فطور متأخّرة

"يسوع هنا بعد?" سيمون بيتر يسأل.

"لا بعد, غير أنّ هو سوفت كنت وصلت قريبا. نحن أرسلنا ل ه," ماتيو يقال.

هناك كان أربعة رسل في الغرفة: سيمون بيتر, ماتيو, جيمس الصحيحة وفيليب. نشرت طاولة كبيرة يجلس في المركز, ووسادات وحصائر كان حول الطاولة على الأرضية.

"الذي يكون يحضر الخمر?" سيمون بيتر يسأل.

"قال الخمر على في الركن على الطاولة," فيليب.

"أتمّ أيّ شخص يفكّر أن يخبز أيّ خبز?" سأل سيمون بيتر. هو نظر حوالي أن يرى إن أيّ شخص كان دفع إنتباه إلى ه.

"سقط ميري بعض باتّجاه آخر," فيليب يقال. "قال هو هو تلقّى بعض مغسل أن يتمّ وعاود فيما بعد."

مشى [جودس] [إيسكريوت] وسيمون [كننيت] [إين.].

"[جودس] [إيسكريوت], أحضر أنت العربة?" سيمون بيتر يسأل.

"جدّا مضحكة, قال [س] كبيرة," [جودس]. هو دعا سيمون بيتر `[س] كبيرة' وسيمون ال `كنعانيّ بعض [س],' [إين وردر تو] ميّزتهم. أيضا لأنّ هو تنصّت سيمون بيتر أن يكون دعات أنّ, بما أنّ هو كان بعد كافح بعض مع يحصل وزنه إلى أسفل.

دعاتني "صحيحة `بيتر,' [جودس]," سيمون بيتر يقال.

"[أه], لذلك أنت الصخرة? صوى مثل بعض نوع من تصارع [مونيكر]. أنت يفكّر من يعطي فوق هذا خطّ العمل ويذهب داخل الحلقة?" [جودس] سأل.

"هاي, دعاني يسوع أنّ. أنا لم أجعل هو فوق!" بيتر قال.

"أجل, غير أنّ يفكّر أنا هو يحصل تعبة من أنت دائما يسأل للمفاتيح إلى المملكة," سيمون [كننيت] يقال. هم جميعا ضحكوا, باستثناء بيتر.

مشى يسوع, إخوان جيمس وجون, أندرو, [ثدّيوس] و [برثولومو] [إين.].

"يسوع هنا," جيمس يقال.

“And I’m on his right side,” John said.

“Guys, quit fighting. We’re just here to eat some breakfast,” Jesus said.

James and John softened their looks at each other and smiled.

“Okay, who’s missing?” Peter asked.

Jesus started counting heads.

“Lord?” Peter said.

“Everyone is here except Thomas,” Jesus said.

“Why’d you have to count?” Peter asked.

“Simon Peter, there’s a time and place for everything. It’s not necessary to work miracles that have no meaning. Now, let’s gather ’round and have a meal. Thomas will get here when he does. I don’t believe we need to wait for him.”

They all sat down. Philip brought over the bread and wine.

“Philip, aren’t you going to eat?” Jesus asked.

“Well, Lord, I’m not really that hungry,” Philip said.

“What?” Simon Peter said. “You’ve already eaten this morning?”

Philip looked down and rearranged his robe.

“Well,” Philip said, “I did have a small snack.”

“Then maybe you shouldn’t have anything to eat,” Peter said.

“Peter, Peter,” Jesus said. “When did you last eat?”

“Lord, My God, I haven’t had anything since last night. I think anyone who’s already eaten this morning shouldn’t eat with us,” Peter said.

“That seems rather childish, don’t you think?” Jesus asked.

Philip sat down quietly.

“Philip, how long ago was your snack?” Bartholomew asked.

“I don’t know, Bart. It was after sun up.”

“What are you getting at?” Jesus asked.

Bartholomew looked around at everyone.

“Maybe if it has been a while, then it would be okay. Maybe if we said, ‘if you haven’t eaten within the last two hours, or since sunrise, then it would be okay to eat with us.’”

“Bart, why all the rules? All of you, haven’t you been listening to me? I suppose I even have to tell you how to eat and drink? Which hand takes the bread? Come on!”

“I have, Lord!” Thomas said. He came walking in confidently. “I doubt you’d really care about the time. Am I right?”

Thomas grabbed a cushion and sat down.

“What, just wine and bread? What kind of breakfast is this?” Thomas asked.

“You know we’re almost out of cash,” Judas said. “We’ll have to eat light for a couple of days.”

“Thomas, Peter, all of you. I want you to do this in memory of me.”

“Do what?” Matthew asked.

“Break bread. This is my body,” Jesus said. He raised a piece of bread up in front of him for all to see.

“Whoa, Lord! What? That’s a piece of bread,” Judas said.

“No, Judas, it is not. By raising this up, I have changed it from bread into my body. And I will raise the cup, and change the wine into my blood.”

Andrew put his cup down and looked into it. The others looked at Jesus in disbelief.

“I want you to do these things to remember me,” Jesus said.

“You’re leaving?” John asked. “Can you give me the keys first?”

“Lord, we broke bread last night. Do we need to again today?” James asked.

“You broke bread last night?” Thomas asked.

“Yeah, we did. You weren’t there. So, I’m thinking, why do we need to again this morning? I mean, didn’t last night count?” James asked.

“What time last night?” Thomas asked.

“Does it matter?” James asked.

“Well, I’d like to know when you guys are getting together without me,” Thomas said.

Andrew looked up.

“Where were you last night, Thomas?” Andrew asked.

“What’s it matter to you?” Thomas said.

“You always seem to miss our evening meals, that’s all.” Andrew said.

“He was with a woman,” Judas said.

“So? I saw you going into the temple. What was that about?” Thomas asked.

Simon Peter stood up.

“It sounds like you both sinned,” Peter said.

“Yeah, so maybe you shouldn’t eat this morning either,” Matthew said.

“You should confess your sins first,” Thaddeus said.

“Guys, guys!” Jesus said. “Why all the bickering? Why can’t we just enjoy a meal together?”

Those standing sat back down. A woman appeared in the doorway.

“My Lord,” she said. She knelt down in the room.

“Give her a blessing, Jesus,” Peter said.

“Come here, woman, and share some bread with us,” Jesus said.

“What?!” Peter said.

The woman stood and hesitated.

“Woman, my body and blood are to be shared by all,” Jesus said.

She looked at him strangely, then quickly grabbed a piece of bread and ran out of the room.

“See? You give them a handout and where are the thanks?” Peter asked.

“Peter!” Jesus said. “Do not limit those who want to be with me. Why put up all these barriers? Do not underestimate how sharing in my body and blood can change you, or anyone.”

Bartholomew dipped some bread into his wine. He kept his eyes low.

“I want you to remember me, to everyone,” Jesus said. “This table is open to all.”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter said.

Author Bio:: John Rehg is a writer, a programmer (that’s where the money comes from), a poet and a non-disillusionist. (That means I don’t get disillusioned by all the crap that goes on today in God’s name, or not.)
He writes weekly reflections for several Ecumenical Catholic churches around the country. This was not one of them.

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