Thursday, August 23, 2012

"How about some good "compani" Italian bread?"

Scripture1 Kings 8:(1,6,10-11), 22-30, 41-43 and Psalm 84  Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18 and Psalm 34:15-22  • 

We have been studying "the bread of life," "bread of heaven" sayings of Jesus in John's gospel. This week The Rev. Dr. Joseph S. Pagano, in "The Bread of Life," gives us further insight into the life - eternal and abundant - given to us by Christ, using the analogy of sturdy Italian bread. "We see something of this bread-like virtue in our word “companion,” which literally means someone with whom bread is shared: com, meaning “with,” and pani, meaning “bread.” Acom-panion is someone with whom we break bread. And when we break bread with someone, we are in communion with them." Read about the transformative power of the Holy Eucharist in the life of Diana the cupbearer. In one of our communion prayers we say, “Deliver us from the presumption of coming to this table for solace only, and not for strength; for pardon only, and not for renewal. Let the grace of this Holy Communion make us one body, one spirit in Christ, that we may worthily serve the world in his name.” We share the bread of life so that we may be strengthened and renewed to go forth into the word with a message of life and love. In small and large ways, sharing in the bread of life, sharing in Christ’s love, transforms us and our world.

Fr. Rick Morley, in "the bloody truth," contrasts Jesus' invitation to eat his flesh and drink his blood with the law of Leviticus 17:14 "For the life of every creature—its blood is its life; therefore I have said to the people of Israel: You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood; whoever eats it shall be cut off." What is Jesus doing here? Why? See the comments of Anthony B. Robinson.







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