Hello my friends,
This is Mark Ludman,
Also known as Brother Frederick James,
Your friendly neighbourhood monk in docks,
Welcoming you to day three of our walkthrough Lent reflecting on the I am statements of Jesus found in John's Gospel with Easter as our Lent.
And today we continue to reflect on Jesus' statement,
I am the bread of life.
And so I invite you to sit,
To get comfortable,
To take a deep breath in and let it out slowly.
Settle into the stillness.
Let your body relax,
Your mind quiet,
Your heart open.
And as you breathe,
Allow yourself to become aware of God's presence.
Always near,
Always providing,
And always sustaining.
Listen to these words from the Gospel of John.
So they said to him,
What sign are you going to give us then so that we may see it and believe you?
What work are you performing?
Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness,
As it is written,
He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
Then Jesus said to them,
Very truly I tell you,
It was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven.
But it is my father who gives you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.
The crowd asks for a sign,
Something they can see,
Something they can hold,
Something that's tangible.
They remember the manna in the wilderness,
The miraculous bread that sustained their ancestors on their journey to the promised land.
But Jesus invites them to look beyond physical provision.
As always,
He points to something deeper,
Something eternal.
Not just bread for the body.
But bread for the soul.
Not just sustenance for a moment.
But life,
Life that endures.
Take a moment to reflect.
Where in your life have you experienced God's provision?
Not just in material ways.
But in the nourishment of your heart and spirit.
Maybe it was a moment of peace in the midst of chaos.
Maybe it was a word of encouragement,
Just when you needed it.
Maybe it was a sense of God's presence when you felt otherwise completely alone.
Breathe in.
And as you exhale,
Hold on to that memory of God's faithfulness.
Now think about these questions.
What does it mean to receive the true bread that Jesus speaks of?
What would it look like to hunger for what nourishes your soul,
Rather than what only temporarily satisfies?
Imagine yourself standing before Jesus.
His eyes are full of kindness,
Of deep knowing.
He reaches out holding a piece of bread.
Simple,
And yet somehow radiant with life.
This is not just any bread.
This is the true bread from heaven.
This is the sustenance that fills the emptiness,
That heals the hunger beneath all hunger.
Now in your mind's eye,
Reach out your hands and receive this gift of bread.
Hold it gently,
Knowing that it is God's very life given for you.
And as you take it in,
Feel it nourish you.
Not just your body,
But your spirit.
Let it fill the places of longing,
The places of weariness,
And the places that are in need of renewal.
Now,
As we sit and fully engage mindfully in this moment,
With a time of silence.
As we close,
Let us take a moment to simply offer thanks.
God,
You are the giver of all good things.
Thank you for the true bread that sustains us.
Not just for today,
But forever.
Help us to hunger for what truly gives life.
Help us to trust in your provision.
Help us to receive all that you so freely give.
Amen.
Take one last deep breath in.
As you breathe out,
Open your eyes and carry this nourishment with you.
God is always providing.
God is always near.
Grace and peace,
My friend.
Until tomorrow.
Bye for now.
