OUR DAILY BREAD
August 14, 2011
VERY EARLY IN HIS MINISTRY DURING WHAT CAME TO BE KNOWN AS THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, JESUS ADDRESSES THE ISSUE OF HOW WE SHOULD PRAY, AND WHAT WE SHOULD SAY TO GOD. THE FOURTH CLAUSE OF THE LORD’S PRAYER, AND THE FIRST REQUEST DIRECTED TO GOD IS SIMPLY : “GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD.’
ONE OF MY EARLY MEMORIES OF MY CHILDHOOD IS OF THE SMELL AND TASTE OF FRESHLY BAKED BREAD JUST OUT OF MY MOTHER’S OVEN! THERE MAY BE NOTHING TO COMPARE TO THAT AROMATIC CALL TO THE STOMACH, AND THE SATISFIED FEELING OF HAVING EATEN SOME OF THAT TASTY, FILLING, SUSTAINING AND HABIT-FORMING FOOD.
GROWING UP, I LIVED NEXT DOOR TO A FAMILY WITH 7 CHILDREN WHOSE MOTHER BAKED BREAD AND BUNS EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY – DIFFERENT DAYS THAN MY MOTHER DID! SO I MADE IT A HABIT, WHICH BECAME A TRADITION UNTIL I LEFT HOME, OF DROPPING IN EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FOR SOME OF THEIR FRESH BREAD AND BUNS! IT WAS A DIFFERENT RECIPE THAN MY MOM USED, BUT ONE COULD DEPEND ON ALL OF IT IN BOTH HOMES BEING AVAILABLE , SATISFYING AN IMMEDIATE NEED, AND SUSTAINING US UNTIL WE NEEDED MORE.
THE HISTORY OF BREAD GOES BACK AT LEAST 30,000 YEARS, ALTHOUGH IN THOSE EARLY DAYS IT WAS PROBABLY MORE LIKE A GRAIN –PASTE MADE FROM ROASTED GROUND CEREAL GRAINS AND WATER. CEREALS AND BREAD BECAME STAPLE FOOD AROUND 10,000 YEARS AGO WHEN WHEAT AND BARLEY WERE DOMESTICATED IN THE FERTILE CRESCENT BETWEEN THE TIGRIS AND EUPHRATES RIVERS. AS PREVIOUSLY NOMADIC TRIBES TURNED MORE TOWARDS LIVING IN SETTLEMENTS , 4OOO TO 5000 YEARS AGO,GROWING CROPS AS WELL AS LIVING OFF WILD OR DOMESTIC ANIMALS , BREAD BECAME A MORE ESSENTIAL AND COMMON STAPLE OF THE DAILY DIET.
THE WORD BREAD ITSELF HAS PROVED USEFUL ALSO AS A SYMBOL TO DESCRIBE SOMETHING ELSE . THUS, FOR EXAMPLE THE BEATNIK GENERATION TALKED ABOUT “ NEED SOME BREAD, MAN” MEANING MONEY; OR,IN SPEAKING OF THE MAIN FACTOR IN ONE’S CAREER, OR THE BEST CLUB IN ONE’S GOLF BAG, ONE COULD SAY “THAT’S MY BREAD AND BUTTER, MAN”, OR AS MY CHILDHOOD FRIENDS MIGHT HAVE SAID WATCHING ARCHIE MOORE ON “FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS” IN THE EARLY DAYS OF TELEVISION : ‘HIT HIM IN THE OLD BREADBASKET!”
BREAD, AS FOOD, AND AS A SYMBOL FOR SOMETHING ELSE, IS A WORD THAT APPEARS FREQUENTLY AND DRAMATICALLY THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE. ARGUABLY,THE EARLIEST SIGNIFICANT INCIDENT INVOLVED MOSES AND THE ISRAELI EXODUS FROM EGYPT. AS THE PEOPLE MADE THEIR WAY TO THE PROMISED LAND THEIR FOOD SUPPLY RAN OUT LEAVING MOSES TO CALL UPON GOD IN PRAYER FOR A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. AS WE KNOW, GOD PROVIDED MANNA, WHICH IS SPOKEN OF IN THE BOOK OF EXODUS AS “BREAD FROM HEAVEN”.
A BRIEF LOOK AT SOME OF THE SCENES DURING JESUS LIFE IN WHICH HE TALKS ABOUT BREAD OR IN WHICH BREAD IS EATEN MAY HELP US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT JESUS INTENDED IN DIRECTING US TO ASK GOD TO “GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD”.
AFTER JESUS WAS BAPTIZED IN THE RIVER JORDAN BY JOHN THE BAPTIST WE ARE TOLD THAT HE DISAPPEARED IN THE WILDERNESS FOR FORTY DAYS OF MEDITATION AND FASTING. AT THE END OF THIS EXPERIENCE, THE DEVIL COMES TO HIM, AND TAUNTS HIM BY SAYING “IF YOU ARE THE SON OF MAN, COMMAND THAT THESE STONES BECOME BREAD”. BUT JESUS REPLIES: “IT IS WRITTEN, MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD.”
JESUS ‘ RETURN FROM HIS VIGIL MARKS THE BEGINNING OF HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY THROUGHOUT GALILEE AND SYRIA, WHICH MATTHEW DESCRIBES AS “TEACHING IN THE SYNAGOGUES, PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM, AND HEALING ALL KINDS OF SICKNESS AND ALL KINDS OF DISEASE.” WITH EACH DAY OF THIS WORK, THE CROWDS OF FOLLOWERS SEEKING COMFORT AND HEALTH INCREASES. AND IT IS TO ONE OF THESE EARLY MASSES THAT JESUS SITS DOWN ONE DAY TO DELIVER THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT’ - A COMPENDIUM OF VISION, INCLUDING RULES FOR LIVING IN THE PRESENT ,AND EXPECTATIONS THAT GOD AND JESUS HOLD ABOUT BEHAVIOUR AND BELIEF REQUIRED OF THOSE WHO WOULD EXPERIENCE THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
IT IS EARLY IN THAT SPEECH THAT JESUS TEACHES US THE LORD’S PRAYER, INCLUDING THE PHRASE “GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD”. SIGNIFICANTLY, I THINK, IT IS LATER IN THAT SAME SPEECH THAT HE ALSO SAYS…” DO NOT WORRY SAYING WHAT SHALL WE EAT? OR WHAT SHALL WE DRINK? OR WHAT SHALL WE WEAR…FOR YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS THAT YOU NEED ALL THESE THINGS. BUT SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU.”
IN THE HOURS BEFORE THE EVENTS OF THIS MORNING’S GOSPEL READING WHICH ALISON READ EARLIER , JESUS HAD JUST LEARNED ABOUT THE DEATH OF HIS COUSIN, JOHN THE BAPTIST,AT THE HAND OF KING HEROD, AND HAD WANDERED OFF BY HIMSELF TO GRIEVE AND TO PRAY.WHEN HE RETURNED TO MEET HIS DISCIPLES HE FOUND A HUGE CROWD GATHERED, AND IN SPITE OF HIS OWN SORROW, MATTHEW NOTES THAT “MOVED WITHCOMPASSION’ FOR THIS CROWD, HE SPENT THE REST OF THE DAY WITH THEM, AND HEALED THEIR SICK.
AS THE DAY WORE ON AND GOT LATE, THE DISCIPLES STARTED URGING JESUS TO SEND THE CROWD AWAY FROM THAT DESERTED PLACE, SO THAT THEY COULD GET SOMETHING TO EAT IN THE NEARBY VILLAGES, FOR THEY MUST BE STARVING. JESUS IS QUITE BLUNT – “THEY DON’T NEED TO GO AWAY. JUST GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO EAT!”
AFTER, I GUESS, RUMMAGING THROUGH THEIR GEAR, ALL THE DISCIPLES COULD COME UP WITH WAS FIVE LOAVES OF BREAD AND TWO FISH. JESUS TOOK AND BLESSED THEM, AND INSTRUCTED THE DISCIPLES TO START HANDING IT OUT TO THE MORE THAN 5000 MEN, WOMAN AND CHILDREN THAT WERE THERE. AFTERWARDS, 12 BASKETS FULL OF THE FRAGMENTS WERE GATHERED.
AFTER THIS JESUS SENDS THE DISCIPLES OFF BY BOAT TO THEIR NEXT DESTINATION WHILE HE DISPERSES THE CROWD. DURING THIS OVERNIGHT VOYAGE STRONG WINDS AND HIGH SEAS ARE TERRIFYING THE TWELVE WHEN SUDDENLY THEY SEE A GHOST-LIKE FIGURE WALKING ON THE WATER TOWARDS THEIR BOAT. AS THEY’RE FREAKING OUT, THEY HEAR WHAT MIGHT BE A FAMILIAR VOICE CALLING TO THEM , “IT IS I; DON’T BE AFRAID”. AN UNCONVINCED PETER, DESCRIBED IN REVEREND GILMER’S SERMON LAST WEEK AS A MAN QUICK TO ACT, AND WITH HONOURABLE INTENTIONS, BUT UNACCUSTOMED TO THINKING THINGS THROUGH SOON ENOUGH, HOLLERS BACK “WELL, IF IT IS YOU, COMMAND ME TO COME TO YOU ON THE WATER.” AND JESUS SAID “COME.”
AS WE HEARD IN LAST WEEK’S GOSPEL READING, PETER JUMPED OUT OF THE BOAT, AND TOOK A FEW SUCCESSFUL, ADRENALIN-FUELLED STEPS ON THE WATER BEFORE NOTICING AND REMEMBERING THE HIGH WIND AND WAVES .AS HE STARTED TO DROWN HE CALLED ON JESUS TO SAVE HIM. JESUS IMMEDIATELY CAUGHT HIM AND BROUGHT HIM TO THE BOAT, AT WHICH POINT THE WIND CEASED AND THE WAVES CALMED. JESUS, TENDING TO PETER, SAID TO HIM “O YOU OF LITTLE FAITH….WHY DID YOU DOUBT?”
A FEW DAYS LATER JESUS IS MET BY ANOTHER HUGE CROWD ON THE SHORES OF LAKE GALILEE, A HUGH NUMBER OF WHOM ARE DESCRIBED AS HAVING ALL CLASSES OF PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL OR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. JESUS SPENDS 3 DAYS WITH THEM TENDING TO THEIR NEEDS.(THINK OF THE SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL ENERGY THAT MUST HAVE REQUIRED), AND AT THE END OF THE THREE DAYS HE TELLS THE DISCIPLES “I HAVE COMPASSION ON THE MULTITUDE BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOW CONTINUED WITH ME THREE DAYS, AND HAVE NOTHING TO EAT, AND I DO NOT WANT TO SEND THEM AWAY HUNGRY!”
AGAIN, THE DISCIPLES HAD TO SCRAMBLE, BUT CAME UP WITH ONLY SEVEN LOAVES AND A FEW LITTLE FISH. WHICH JESUS BLEST AND HAD THE DISCIPLES DISTRIBUTE. AFTER MORE THAN 4000 FOLKS HAD EATEN, SEVEN LARGE BASKETS OF LEFTOVERS WERE COLLECTED!
DURING OR JUST AFTER THIS MEAL, SEVERAL SYNAGOGUE OFFICIALS APPROACHED JESUS ASKING THAT HE SHOW THEM A SIGN FROM HEAVEN THAT WOULD SUBSTANTIATE HIS CLAIMS ABOUT HIMSELF. JESUS IS ANGERED BY THIS, AND QUITE CLEAR IN HIS RESPONSE : “HYPOCRITES….YOU CANNOT DISCERN THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES! A WICKED AND ADULTEROUS GENERATION SEEKS AFTER A SIGN, AND NO SIGN SHALL BE GIVEN IT!”
HE IS STILL THINKING ABOUT THIS ENCOUNTER WHEN HE JOINS THE DISCIPLES ON A BOAT TO HEAD TO THEIR NEXT DESTINATION, AND WARNS THEM TO “BEWARE OF THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES AND SCRIBES”. SHORTLY, JESUS DISCOVERS THAT HIS COMPANIONS ARE THINKING THAT JESUS’ STR ANGE MOOD, AND EVEN STRANGER COMMENT WERE BROUGHT ON BY HUNGER, AND BY FINDING THAT ONCE AGAIN THEY HAVE NOT BROUGHT ANYTHING TO EAT WITH THEM. BUT JESUS WON’T LET THIS PASS. ONE CAN ALMOST READ THE FRUSTRATION IN HIS VOICE AS HE GOES AFTER THEM . “O YOU OF LITTLE FAITH”, HE SAYS, “ WHY DO YOU REASON AMONG YOURSELVES BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO BREAD? DO YOU NOT YET PERCEIVE OR UNDERSTAND? HAVING EYES DO YOU NOT SEE? AND HAVING EARS DO YOU NOT HEAR? AND DO YOU NOT REMEMBER?
WHEN I BROKE THE FIVE LOAVES FOR THE FIVE THOUSAND, HOW MANY BASKETS OF FRAGMENTS DID YOU TAKE UP?”
THEY SAID TO HIM “TWELVE.”
“ALSO WHEN I BROKE THE SEVEN FOR THE 4000, HOW MANY LARGE BASKETS FULL OF FRAGMENTS DID YOU TAKE UP?”
“SEVEN.”
SO HE SAID TO THEM”HOW IS IT YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT I DID NOT SPEAK TO YOU CONCERNING BREAD , BUT TO BEWARE OF THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES?”
OF COURSE THERE IS PLAY ON WORDS HERE ON THE MEANING OF THE WORD LEAVEN BUT THE POINT THAT JESUS IS MAKING IS THAT THE TEACHINGS AND PRACTICES OF THE RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENT OFFER NO COMFORT, NO SUSTENANCE IN THIS LIFE AND NO DIRECTION ORSUPPORT FOR THE FUTURE. THEY FALL AS SHORT OF THE MARK, AND AS SHORT OF WHAT JESUS’ LIFE AND MINISTRY ARE ABOUT, AS UNLEAVENED BREAD FALLS SHORT OF THE WHOLESOMENESS, GOODNESS AND VALUE OF THE BEST LEAVENED BREAD!IT WAS A SYMBOLISM HE MUST HAVE THOUGHT WOULD WORK, AND WOULD HAVE EXPECTED PEOPLE TO GRASP, GIVEN THE CENTRAL IMPORTANCE OF GOOD BREAD IN THE DAILY DIET OF THAT TIME.
IT WAS A SYMBOLIC COMPARISON THAT JESUS WOULD RETURN TO OFTEN IN HIS SPEECHES AND PARABLES . HE COMPARED HIS MESSAGE ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND WHAT IT MEANT IN TERMS OF BELIEFS AND ACTIONS AND HOPE FOR THE FUTURE, TO THE “OLD WAY”OF THE JEWISH FAITH AS INTERPRETED BY THE OFFICIALS AND THEIR FOLLOWERS .HE TAUGHT THAT THE “BREAD” AVAILABLE TO HIS FOLLOWERS PROMISED MEMBERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD, WHILE THE CURRENT TEACHINGS AND INTERPRETATIONS OF THE SYNAGOGUE FELL SHORT….
JESUS’ LIFE ON EARTH, HIS TEACHING, HIS MINISTRY OF HEALING AND COMFORTING THE SICK ,AND FORGIVING OF SINS, INDEED ACHIEVEMENT OF THE MIRACLES RECORDED IN THE GOSPELS ARE ALL INSTANCES OF THE GENEROUS GIFTS OF GOD, GIVEN TO THE PEOPLE BY JESUS THROUGH HIS UNSHAKEABLE TRUST IN GOD. HE TOLD US,AND SHOWED US THAT ALL SUCH THINGS ARE POSSIBLE, INCLUDING ETERNAL LIFE TO THOSE WHO HAVE FAITH IN GOD AND IN HIM.AND FAITH HAS BEEN DEFINED AS “SOMETHING NEGOTIATED IN THAT SPACE BETWEEN BELIEF AND UNBELIEF”. THOUGH IT IS NOT EASY TO MAKE THAT JOURNEY, IT REQUIRES TRUST IN THE OUTCOME, AND FOLLOWS CONFIDENCE THAT ALL THE SUPPORT ONE NEEDS IS PRESENT.
JESUS RECOGNIZED THE DIFFICULTY OF ACHIEVING THIS BELIEF, AND SUFFERED MANY CRISES OF CONFIDENCE THROUGHOUT HIS OWN LIFE. THE GOSPELS TELL OF HIS MANY PRAYERFUL CONVERSATIONS WITH GOD THE FATHER TO HELP HIM DEAL WITH THE STRESS OF LIFE, AND HIS ANTICIPATION OF HIS OWN FUTURE. IN CONSIDERATION OF HIS FOLLOWERS, KNOWING THAT THIS JOURNEY WOULD NOT BE EASY HE OFFERED HIMSELF AS A SOURCE OF GUIDANCE,SUSTENANCE AND SUPPORT TO HELP THEM TO LIVE WITHIN THE KINGDOM OF GOD NOW AND FOR ETERNITY.
BECAUSE THE ANALOGY TO BREAD WORKED SO CLOSELY, JESUS CONTINUED TO USE IT WITH HIS FOLLOWERS. IN TRYING TO DESCRIBE THE MEANING OF HIS MINISTRY, AND OF HOW HE WOULD SUPPORT THEM EVEN AFTER DEATH, HE TOLD THEM “ I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE. HE WHO COMES TO ME SHALL NEVER HUNGER, AND WHO BELIEVES IN ME SHALL NEVER THIRST….AND THIS IS THE WILL OF HIM WHO SENT ME, THAT EVERYONE WHO SEES THE SON AND BELIEVES IN HIM MAY HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE AND I WILL RAISE HIM UP AT THE LAST DAY.”
AT THE LAST SUPPER, JESUS, WE ARE TOLD, TOOK BREAD AND BLESSED IT AND PRESENTED IT TO THE DISCIPLES AS A MEMORIAL OF HIS LIFE, HIS MINISTRY AND THE ONGOING EVER CONSTANT COMFORT, SUSTENANCE AND STRENGTH AVAILABLE , THROUGH FAITH,TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIM.
IT IS POSSIBLE THAT ALL THIS WAS IN JESUS MIND WHEN HE INSTRUCTED HIS LISTENERS, EARLY IN HIS MINISTRY, HOW AND WHAT THEY SHOULD PRAY TO GOD AND INTRODUCED THE PHRASE “GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD”. THE GREEK WORD “EPI-OUSIOS” APPEARS ONLY TWICE IN ALL OF ANCIENT GREEK AND HELLENIC LITERATURE – ONCE IN THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, AND ONCE IN THE GOSPEL OF LUKE IN RECORDING THE WORDS “DAILY BREAD” IN THE LORD’S PRAYER. THE COMBINATION OF THE WORD EPI WHICH IMPLIES “SOMETHING MORE’, OR ‘SOMETHING ON TOP OF SOMETHING ELSE’ AND’ OUSIOS ‘ WHICH MEANS BREAD GIVES A SPECIAL MEANING TO THIS PHRASE. . FOR MANY YEARS IN THE EARLY CATHOLIC CHURCH THE LITURGY TRANLATED IT AS “SUPERNATURAL BREAD”, BUT OVER TIME THAT HASN’T SEEMED TO BE EXACTLY RIGHT. THERE HAS BEEN TACIT APPROVAL, ONE SUPPOSES TO MAKE DO WITH THE PHRASE “ DAILY BREAD’ – BUT THE GOSPEL WRITERS,A ND ULTIMATELY JESUS HIMSELF SEEM TO HAVE MEANT SOMETHING MORE.
IT IS POSSIBLE THAT, GIVEN HIS LINGUISTIC SKILLS AND PRECISE USE OF ANALOGY THAT JESUS HAD ANTICIPATED THAT FOR US TO LIVE OUR LIVES SUCCESFULLY WE WOULD NEED TO BE SPIRITUALLY FED, COMFORTED, NOURISHED AND SUSTAINED IN ALL OUR DAILY ROUNDS ; THAT WE WOULD NEED ALL OF THAT SIMPLY TO SURVIVE WITH OUR LIVES AND FAITH INTACT. WE ARE BEING INVITED TO FORTIFY OUR FAITH BY SIMPLE REQUEST TO GOD OUR FATHER, TO ‘”GIVE US OUR DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAD.” IN MARGARET GEORGE’S RECENT NOVEL, ELIZABETH THE FIRST, NEAR THE END OF HER LIFE THE QUEEN IS SEEN MEDITATING ON THE FRAGILITY OF THE SYMBOLS OF AUTHORITY, AS SHE EXAMINES A RELIC TAKEN FROM THE CORONATION CHAIR OF THE LAST KING OF IRELAND, SHE SAYS: “I WITHDREW IT FROM ITS POUCH AND FINGERED IT. IT WAS ABOUT THE SIZE OF MY PALM, IRREGULAR AND GRAY AND BROWN. WITHIN IT LAY THE MYSTERY OF WHAT MADE A KING IN IRELAND. “IT SEEMS A SIMPLE ENOUGH THING’ I SAID. “SO WAS THE BREAD AT THE LAST SUPPER”, SAID HER PRIVY COUNCILLOR. “THIS IS MORE EASILY DESTROYED” SHE ANSWERED.”HOW PRESCIENT OF JESUS TO LEAVE BEHIND NO RELICS, NO HOLY OF HOLIES, MERELY A PIECE OF BREAD THAT MUST BE BAKED OVER AND OVER IN ITS OWN TIME.” TO THAT MAY ALL OF GOD’S CHILDREN SAY “AMEN”.
Preached by Tom Stickland
Knox-Metropolitan United Church
Regina, Saskatchewan