Saturday, March 22, 2025
For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ~ 1 Corinthians 11:23-24
Written by Merry Cole Bender | Pinnacle Member
These beautiful words are part of the meaningful ritual which we still practice today. A practice that reminds us that Jesus is our bread of life. As we break bread, as his body, we remember the fullness Christ gives us by following him. “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) I think about Christians all over the world who gather at an open table to practice this spiritual event of Communion being filled with the Holy Spirit. My husband and I have had the good fortune to live and travel abroad. So, when I think of taking the “bread of life” as part of the sacraments, of gathering in communion, I think of how Jesus would have performed this ceremony in places beyond our country.
In Kenya, the bread of life is ugali, in Asia it is rice, in Mexico it is tortilla, and in the Middle East it is pita. I believe that our universal Savior would say, come to my table, ALL are welcome for “I am the ugali, or the rice, or the tortilla, of life.” These words are Christ’s offer for fulfillment, for satisfaction, for a promise for spiritual survival in His name.
All of God’s people have a need for this fulfillment, no matter what the physical sustenance is that we hold in our hands. This “bread” provides a path forward; it gives each of us a sense of fullness that helps us to live abundantly, to live eternally, in the love and acceptance of Christ.
So, may we remember how big Christ’s table is, how universal is His offering and know that together we are fulfilled by the bread of life, broken for us.
Prayer: Christ, be Bread of Life for us, that we may sustain the neighbors we have in you. Amen.