We are what we eat. We've all heard that phrase, but where did it come from? Interestingly, despite all of the current hype about food quality and natural versus organic versus processed, etc., the phrase comes from 1826. A chef by the name of Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said, "Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are." He was literally saying that a person’s mental, emotional, and physical health could be determined by what they ate, and indeed, their very character revealed. The idea that good food led to good character and good health and that bad food corrupted, both morally and physically, has hung on ever since, in some way or another.
But I think we can see in today's Gospel that Jesus said it first. “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.”
The allegory of the type of bread that we choose to eat is speaking not to a person's physical health, but rather to their spiritual health. Our problem is not that we eat bread, but that when faced with a choice, we often choose poorly.
For instance, from our Old Testament lesson, the Israelites were provided with "bread from heaven", but they didn't know exactly what it was, so they called it manna. Manna literally means "what is it?" It wasn't bread ready to eat – it was a concentrated form of something that could be made into bread or cakes. As a result, they never changed the name, and always called it manna – what is it? The Israelites were surely not the only ones to have eaten of the bread of complaint, dissatisfaction and fear.
In our modern day, in the Middle East, both sides eat of the bread of violence and war.
Politicians of every ilk share the bread of negativity, hostility and name calling.
Sometimes, we eat of the bread of hurt feelings and resentment; other times of loneliness, fear and isolation; and still others of sorrow, guilt and shame.
We are what we choose to eat.
Shall we eat of the bread of power and control, or perhaps the bread of revenge?
The bread we choose to eat reveals a great deal about the nature of our appetite. The world is full of bread, and yet far too many live their lives unfulfilled and searching.
In a little bit, we're going to sing the song, "I AM the bread of life." But think about the words of Christ: “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." And then think of the refrain of that song: "And I will raise him up."
Every interaction that we have, every thought in our head, every action that we take – is a reflection of the bread that we choose to eat. Each of the types of bread that I listed before are temporal and perishable. And in every situation, each and every day of our lives, just as each day saw new manna, as the old was now inedible, we have the choice of the bread we will eat – perishable or imperishable. And in each of those choices, we choose the life we want to live. We are what we eat.
Someone asked me what the Episcopal Branch of the Jesus Movement means. The Presiding Bishop Curry explains it pretty well. In choosing to live a life oriented around the teaching of the Gospel, we demonstrate to others that our faith is loving, liberating and life giving. We commit ourselves to going into the world to help the world become what it will become. And the power of the Holy Spirit moving through me allows other people to see what Christ's way is all about, and allows me to choose the Bread of Life with every interaction.
So I'd like to challenge you this week to begin each day asking God to give you the Bread of Life – we ask for it every time we say the Lord's Prayer, so think about what exactly that means, every time you say it. And when you ask for the Bread of Life, you ask Him to allow you to be the witness to Jesus' word and ministry today.
At the end of each day, reflect – without judgment – and ask yourself, where did I have an opportunity to practice witnessing? And that doesn't have to be words, but can be actions or gestures, simple examples of the loving, liberating and life-giving ways of Christ. Ask yourselves, did I take advantage of those opportunities I had? Where might I have chosen differently than I did? And thank God for His provision of the Bread of Life, for His gift of Jesus Christ to us – in all that that means.
Let us pray: God, our hope, as we gather now to worship you, fill us with anticipation and prepare us by your Spirit. Be the first thought in our hearts and help us to be conscious of your direction. Strengthen us for your service, nourish us with the bread of life, transform us for your work. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask this. Amen.
But I think we can see in today's Gospel that Jesus said it first. “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.”
The allegory of the type of bread that we choose to eat is speaking not to a person's physical health, but rather to their spiritual health. Our problem is not that we eat bread, but that when faced with a choice, we often choose poorly.
For instance, from our Old Testament lesson, the Israelites were provided with "bread from heaven", but they didn't know exactly what it was, so they called it manna. Manna literally means "what is it?" It wasn't bread ready to eat – it was a concentrated form of something that could be made into bread or cakes. As a result, they never changed the name, and always called it manna – what is it? The Israelites were surely not the only ones to have eaten of the bread of complaint, dissatisfaction and fear.
In our modern day, in the Middle East, both sides eat of the bread of violence and war.
Politicians of every ilk share the bread of negativity, hostility and name calling.
Sometimes, we eat of the bread of hurt feelings and resentment; other times of loneliness, fear and isolation; and still others of sorrow, guilt and shame.
We are what we choose to eat.
Shall we eat of the bread of power and control, or perhaps the bread of revenge?
The bread we choose to eat reveals a great deal about the nature of our appetite. The world is full of bread, and yet far too many live their lives unfulfilled and searching.
In a little bit, we're going to sing the song, "I AM the bread of life." But think about the words of Christ: “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." And then think of the refrain of that song: "And I will raise him up."
Every interaction that we have, every thought in our head, every action that we take – is a reflection of the bread that we choose to eat. Each of the types of bread that I listed before are temporal and perishable. And in every situation, each and every day of our lives, just as each day saw new manna, as the old was now inedible, we have the choice of the bread we will eat – perishable or imperishable. And in each of those choices, we choose the life we want to live. We are what we eat.
Someone asked me what the Episcopal Branch of the Jesus Movement means. The Presiding Bishop Curry explains it pretty well. In choosing to live a life oriented around the teaching of the Gospel, we demonstrate to others that our faith is loving, liberating and life giving. We commit ourselves to going into the world to help the world become what it will become. And the power of the Holy Spirit moving through me allows other people to see what Christ's way is all about, and allows me to choose the Bread of Life with every interaction.
So I'd like to challenge you this week to begin each day asking God to give you the Bread of Life – we ask for it every time we say the Lord's Prayer, so think about what exactly that means, every time you say it. And when you ask for the Bread of Life, you ask Him to allow you to be the witness to Jesus' word and ministry today.
At the end of each day, reflect – without judgment – and ask yourself, where did I have an opportunity to practice witnessing? And that doesn't have to be words, but can be actions or gestures, simple examples of the loving, liberating and life-giving ways of Christ. Ask yourselves, did I take advantage of those opportunities I had? Where might I have chosen differently than I did? And thank God for His provision of the Bread of Life, for His gift of Jesus Christ to us – in all that that means.
Let us pray: God, our hope, as we gather now to worship you, fill us with anticipation and prepare us by your Spirit. Be the first thought in our hearts and help us to be conscious of your direction. Strengthen us for your service, nourish us with the bread of life, transform us for your work. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask this. Amen.
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