Breaking BreAD

 

My wife and I don’t necessarily conform to the idea of a “New Year’s Resolution.” Don’t get me wrong, I can certainly appreciate the willingness to change something about ourselves, but I believe it should be done throughout the year, and not just in January. Honestly, I think it would be a better suited idea if the thought behind a resolution took place during the Easter season. During the Easter season, we find flowers blooming, snow melting, the bitter winter air turning warm, and the day’s sun lasting longer. It is a season of change.

 Ironically, Allie and I both decided to add a hobby into our respective lives around the same time, and right at the start of those pesky “resolutions.” Take me for example; I started using my spare time to read more, study the bible, and write – I started this blog as a way for me to stop using so much paper!

Allie has devoted her extra time to my delight, by baking more. She has always been a good baker and cook in general. I think her adolescence of growing up on a farm out in the hills of Pendleton County, Kentucky, has contributed to her love of making things as fresh as possible. We are blessed to eat so many home-cooked meals in this culture of fast food and take-out. Her latest fixation has been the art of baking sourdough bread.

 For those of us not familiar with sourdough bread, it is a living, breathing, naturally leavened bread. It uses a “starter” of fermented flour and water that contains wild yeast and good bacteria to rise, instead of commercial yeast. It is richer in nutrients, contains lower gluten, doesn’t cause blood sugar to spike, is easier to digest than “normal” bread, and tastes better, in my opinion. What is cool about sourdough is that it needs to be fed every 12-24 hours with flour and water – like I said, it is alive.

Watching my wife get excited about feeding her starter, pulling, and folding the dough, watching it proof, shaping the dough, and seeing the crunchy, golden crust that formed during the time in the oven, is the same reaction I have when we slice into the fresh, warm loaf. It is absolutely delicious. It got me thinking this afternoon about the connection bread has in our society, and in the Biblical world. Humans have survived and thrived thanks to the art of cultivating wheat and baking bread.

 The art of baking and breaking bread together parallels our walk with Jesus. The patience we find in the rising dough mimics the patience preached about in Scripture. James 5:7-8 advises us to patiently await the spiritual harvest, like farmers tending their crops. As the dough rises gradually, it transforms into a light and airy texture, much like how Jesus allows us to rise above our circumstances. Like dough being molded into a beautiful loaf, we are confident that God is shaping us for a purpose. As the Psalmist waited for the Lord in Psalm 40:1, we too are called to patiently trust in God’s unfolding master plan.

 Gathering around a table and slicing into a fresh loaf of warm bread with our loved ones, makes the highlight reel of the human experience. As we consider breaking bread, we turn to the poignant moment when Jesus shared the Last Supper with His disciples. In Luke 22:19, He took bread, gave thanks, and broke it, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” Breaking bread together symbolizes unity, community, and the shared experience of God’s grace.

 The patience cultivate in baking shows a reflection of the enduring patience Christ has with us, while breaking bread embodies the communal aspect of our faith. Through both, we witness the power of patience and shared moments, reminding us that, just as bread is broken and shared, so is our faith meant to be lived in fellowship with one another.

 I encourage you to take the time to gather with family and friends as often as you can. Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I will be present with them.” I will leave you with this prayer:

Gracious Lord, as we gather around this table, we come with hearts filled with gratitude for the bread before us – the symbol of your body broken for us. In this spirit of unity and community, we join to break bread, just as Jesus did with His disciples. We thank you for the patience symbolized in the rising dough, mirroring your enduring patience with us. May this act of breaking bread remind us of the unity we share in your love and the fellowship we find in your grace. Bless this bread, Lord, as it becomes a tangible expression of your sacrifice and the communion, we have with you and one another. As we partake, may it nourish our bodies and souls, fostering a deeper connection with you and strengthening the bonds of love within our community. In Jesus’ Holy name, we pray. Amen.