The Bread of Life
The Eucharist is something I took for granted for huge chunks of my life. Is there anything more commonplace than bread? After all, pretty much every culture in the world has some version of bread as a staple in their diet. Tinapay, omugaati, pain kenyér, roti, ekmek, isinkwa - just some of the many words for bread in other languages. Pita, naan, lavash, tortilla – all staples in global diets. Bread is not the star of any meal. It’s there to contain the filling, soak up the sauce, and fill our hungry bellies.
And yet, Jesus chose bread to contain his divinity on Earth, one of the most common, unassuming, and impermanent things in life. The marvel of this God taking on human flesh and dwelling among us, the horror of the cross, and the wonder of the resurrection – all of these moments seem so unbelievable without the gift of faith.
When Jesus ascended to heaven, he sent his Holy Spirit to form, guide, and teach us. Through the Spirit, we can be nearer to Christ. But Jesus did not just leave us the Holy Spirit. On the night before his crucifixion, he chose bread and the hands of his weak but willing apostles. By following his example, the apostles and those ordained through the lineage of the apostles can invite the miracle of transubstantiation – where the bread on the altar becomes Jesus himself.
There’s a scandal in it – that God himself would choose to remain among us, in tabernacles around the world and indeed in our very bodies, through the means of bread. The majesty and divinity of God, beseeched daily in Churches across the world to be in the form of bread – bread that can crumble and decay.
Why, after everything Jesus had accomplished through the resurrection, would he continue to be with us in this way? It speaks to God’s unchanging character. Jesus is a God who gives of himself so fully, so constantly, so humbly. His love knows no boundaries and cares for no earthly standard. He knows our weakness and our need not only for the nudging of the Holy Spirit, but a constant, physical reminder of his love for us.
Just like the bread found on tables around the world, the Bread of Life feeds us. It fills our souls. Strengthens us for our journey. Gives us the nourishment to build our spiritual muscles. Comforts us in our grief.
When we approach the altar to receive this commonplace, scandalous, generous miracle, may we be given the gift of faith to see it for what it truly is – Jesus, truly present, embracing us, body and soul.