This week, in the lead-up to Easter, my personal thoughts about the Resurrection found themselves expressed in the form of a sourdough starter that I was growing from scratch. Each day I wrote a five-line reflection on the process. While Jesus’ death and resurrection is of a scale far bigger than anything growing in aContinue reading “Resurrection Bread: A Holy Week Poem”
Tag Archives: bread
Elements
Since awe sometimes is out of reachand mind strains in its own finitude, I will take the elements, the staples of the day’s endand breathe in their meaning: grace like the sourdough I stir through the bowl,holiness like the wine I savour though kids tip their food and yell,a table ripe with Godeven now.
The Patience of Bread
To the toddler eye, yeast bubbles for pure delightand the lump of dough is to be savoured now.Try as I might, I cannot explainwhy that treasure must go to wait in the sun,why the instant must make way for the delayed.I too cannot understandkingdom yeast’s delay in them, in me,cannot let go of moment’s feastwithoutContinue reading “The Patience of Bread”
Still Life: After Caravaggio
Late Night Bread
Kneadingafter the kids are asleepand the day’s tidy-up’s done,kneadingunresolved jobs anddisappointment intopositive dispersal of yeast throughdough,kneading prayer,kneading thoughtof friend in need, kneadingthe lossof this or that hope,kneading hope.And pounding,pounding heaven’s door like a breadboard,pounding grace into slackand crumbling day,pounding the gateof coming kingdom,pounding the weight of the season,the wait of the harvest,the slowness of leaven,theContinue reading “Late Night Bread”
Bread (Lent 4)
“…and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread” (Emmaus 3)
How like him to appear this way: a walk alongside the mourners, an attentive ear, a willingness to linger, and then – the climax – seated at table, bread, the beloved symbol, poised in hand, and at its breaking all finally clear. How like him who broke bread with Zaccheus, with Levi, with Judas. HowContinue reading ““…and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread” (Emmaus 3)”
Catechism 47
Does the Lord’s Supper add anything to Christ’s atoning work? No, Christ died once for all. The Lord’s Supper is a covenant meal celebrating Christ’s atoning work; as it is also a means of strengthening our faith as we look to him, and a foretaste of the future feast. But those who take part with unrepentantContinue reading “Catechism 47”
Catechism 46
What is the Lord’s Supper? Christ commanded all Christians to eat bread and to drink from the cup in thankful remembrance of him and his death. The Lord’s Supper is a celebration of the presence of God in our midst; bringing us into communion with God and with one another; feeding and nourishing our souls. ItContinue reading “Catechism 46”
The Consolations of Writing 