Daily Reflection Tuesday

Lately I find myself drawn to travel and cooking shows. My two favorites right now are Somebody Feed Phil and Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy. Phil travels the world on a culinary adventure while Stanley travels across Italy discovering all the secrets of the country’s regional dishes. Both men clearly love what they are doing. Not only do they embrace the local traditions and foods, but they also fall in love with the people they meet. 

One thing every episode in both programs has in common is bread. Every country, region and culture have a love of bread. Not only is bread part of the basic diet in almost every country it is an important part of each meal. I know when my family gets together, we always have a big plate of bread getting passed around. It is a staple at every meal. It is the first thing my grandchildren will ask for. They will walk around with a big piece of Italian bread biting off chunks of it all day long. Just like at my home, the friends and families in every episode gather around a table and break bread together. Does that sound familiar to anyone? 

When Jesus tells us he is the “bread of life” he is sharing how special and important he is in our daily lives. Just as bread is important in so many cultures it is central to the Catholic faith. Can you image sitting down to a meal with Jesus and hearing him say “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger.” The beauty of our faith is that we know every time we celebrate the Eucharist together, we are receiving the bread of life. We are being nourished from heaven. 

These next two months, in Catholic churches all around the world, children will be invited to the Eucharistic banquet to receive the “bread of life”, the Eucharistic, for the first time. While they may not fully grasp what is happening, they are excited knowing that it is something special and they are now part of it. If you can, find out when your parish is celebrating the sacrament of First Communion and try to attend. Watch the joy on the faces of the children who are receiving Jesus, in this special way, for the first time.  Then try to embrace that joy as you receive communion. 

Maybe our prayers for this third week of Easter can be for all the children who will be receiving their First Communion. Pray they and we can always be joyful receiving the “Bread of Life.”