35 Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life.
Whoever comes to me will never be hungry,
and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
John 6:35
One of my favorite smells is fresh bread baking in the oven. For our family, Paul’s Bakery in Eldoret, Kenya, was one of our favorite places. We loved to stop and buy loaves of bread were long, square loaves of a good solid nature (not white air bread but made from less refined wheat flour) that were piping hot with the plastic bag clinging to the loaf. At least one loaf never made it home as we all grabbed chunks. No need for butter or jam or anything else. Ok, if served with a Fanta soda then it was a meal. I have seen communion done at conventions where breads from around the world filled the trays. Tortillas and nans and chapattis have all become familiar in English lingo. Many of us know about njeras made in Ethiopia from Tef flour I had never heard of. When I asked my students from rural areas what they wanted to learn to cook, the answer was always bread and cake.
I don’t know what your favorite bread is but I do know it is very hard for people with wheat allergies. Jesus says he is the bread of life. What words come to your mind when you hear those words? Perhaps you get visions of good smells, best when fresh, or lots of different varieties. Does braided bread remind you of Christmas? Does a bread stick remind you of a spaghetti or pizza dinner? How many types of rolls can you name? Wow, so many ways to think what Jesus meant when he said that he is the bread of life. Take a few minutes to thank God for your favorite bread and then thank him for how Jesus is like that bread. Blessings.
On the Way to Wonder 