Breaking Bread

While I was "on retreat", I really didn't want to cook.  I wanted something simple, that didn't take a lot of time or preparation.  I also wanted to include communion each day.  Which, sounded a little weird to me on one hand - "breaking bread" by myself?  On the other hand, it is a remembrance, and one that I wanted to include in my quiet time with God.


So, I brought bread and "wine" (Welches finest!), and sat by the fire my first night there, with exactly this plate of food.

I opened my bible and found the chapters and verses - first in Matthew and the next night in Luke - and read aloud.  Now, I have heard these passages read many times, and I have had communion many times - wafers, loaves of bread, pieces of pita bread, every week, quarterly - but I have never read these verses aloud.  To only myself.

And, I have never changed the pronouns.  And, wow, what a powerful statement to change the pronouns:

"This is Your body, broken for me"

It's hard for me to speak them aloud without tears welling up in my eyes..... even now.  Even with no bread and no "wine" sitting before me.  "... Your body, broken for me."  It's humbling, and very, very powerful!

(and I packed no Kleenex - what WAS I thinking?)

And, so I thanked Him for my simple meal - for the bread and the "wine" - and for the greatest gift of all....

While I was still a sinner, Christ died for me. 




"but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  ~ Romans 5:8