As we are called to
Become the Bread of Life for Others
Jesus Lord, many are the ways that you have quenched the
thirst and filled the hunger of your people. You wouldn’t allow the joy and
honour of a family at Cana to be damaged due to a lack of wine, nor would your
generosity stop short for the Samaritan woman at the well. Wasn’t it your love,
Lord, crossing all borders, wasn’t it the living water filling her to the brim that
made her so excited to run to the village to bring her people to you? It’s
saving people that seems to satisfy your hunger for souls and not decorations,
ceremonies, rituals or earthly food that your disciples were able to bring.
Jesus Lord, our hearts were moved beyond description as you
sat between the adulterous woman in her anguish and agony and the Pharisees in
their anger and agitation both crying for justice. As you fed her with the
mercy and compassion from your father, you revealed to us another face of
justice, another type of bread you call us to be. As you wept with Mary and
Martha at Bethany at the loss of their brother Lazar, your tears became the
bread of comfort and consolation even before the miracle of raising their
brother. As you extended your love and forgiveness to an unwelcome, unwanted
guest behaving “inappropriately” in Simon’s house by washing, wiping and
anointing those tired feet saying “because she has loved much, she’s forgiven
much”, you have deepened much the nuances of feeding the varied needs of
humanity.
How could you, Lord, even at the deserted area, let the
people who have come to fill their spiritual hunger go away in their physical
hunger without satisfying both? You have entrusted to us this responsibility through
the fives loaves, the two fishes, the two copper coins, the five jars of water,
the donkey, the upper room and the Mary Magdalenes, Veronicas and Simon of
Cyrenes. You call us to become your bread, not beyond our abilities, not beyond
our means, but just through our hands, our hearts, our preaching, teaching,
counselling, our hospitality, our caring to feed the hungers of humanity
promising us that you will be with us, promising us that you will give us the
resources, the strength, the supporters and the grace.
We thank and praise,
Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
