Bread

Lately in the Look at Jesus course that Christianne has been teaching, we've been talking about the metaphors that Jesus used to describe himself in the book of John.  As I pondered some of them the other night, the one that particularly caught me was his description of himself as the "Bread of Life."

Bread is an image that immediately evoked a sensory response.  Smells and tastes and memories sprang to mind.

I thought of standing in the basement of the student centre at the university and smelling the aroma of baking bread emerging from one of the sandwich shops and wafting to fill the corridors.

I thought about the experiences I've had this last year as I've worked with yeast doughs for the first time - not making bread yet, but learning what it is to work with yeast, and to knead and work dough.

And I thought about all the different breads I've eaten.  The various loaves available here in Canada - loaves with seeds and grains.  Crispy french bread spread with a layer of butter.  All sorts, really.

And I thought about the bread I ate in Malta.  Maltese bread is something pretty special.  It comes in round loaves, and is dense, with a hard, crispy crust.  It was a staple of nearly every meal I ate during my time there, and I think my particular favorite way to eat it was spread with butter and jam.  So good.  I've never found anything quite like it here in Canada.

So Jesus reminds me that he is bread, and I think about the different kinds of bread - the ones that melt in my mouth, and the ones like Maltese bread that require a bit more chewing, a bit more work.  He reminds me that He is bread, and I think of what I know of history - how bread has always been a staple of survival, how it is central to so many middle-eastern, european and western cuisines, how it was bread that the devil suggested Jesus form from stones during the temptation in the wilderness.     I think about yeast and how carefully it must be handled to ensure it multiplies, and about kneading dough, repetitive, hard work if ever there was such a thing.

I think about these things and ponder how they are true of my relationship with Jesus - how there are things about him that are easy to swallow and absorb, and things that require much mulling, chewing, wrestling to absorb.  I think about times I have fasted, and how the one thing I wanted more than anything was bread, spread with butter, how it was an immense temptation to smell those things.  I'm pondering the realities of yeast - how it must be carefully cultivated for it to multiply and grow, and then how it must be kneaded into dough, mixed and turned until it is spread and absorbed.  How true is it that I must carefully cultivate Christ in my life, and turn and mix His words until they are absorbed within me and grow new sprouts of life and healing.

It's quite some time since I've been so struck by an image of Christ, but this one, this one of Him as bread - as sustenance, basic sustenance, though not always the easiest form of sustenance to absorb - this is an image that has captured my heart the last few days, and one that I am meditating on as I look at the days ahead.

And you - is there something that the image of Jesus as the Bread of Life evokes for you?  Or is there perhaps another image of Christ that is standing out for you at the moment?  I'd love to hear!