Maundy Thursday celebrations bring me to Bread Vicharam. (It's now the era of vicharam. चिंतन बैठक, വിചാര വേദി, hence some bread vicharam).
In Jesus' life, it appears that 'bread' had a very central role - not like anybody else - invariably in whose life, bread, read food, has a central role. Here it is more in the realm of thought, and action besides eating!
Coincidentally, he was born in Bethlehem, which meant 'house of bread'.
One of the first instances narrated about his adult life is regarding his intense days of preparation in the wilderness, where he felt hungry, and he was enticed by the tempter to convert stones into bread! Use spiritual powers for satisfying one's physical needs. Jesus' response is very interesting : It is not by bread alone that humans live, but also by the Word of God. That does imply that humans have the need for 'bread' - food, though a full human life requires more than food. We have Maslow's hierarchy of needs in modern psychology.
So the questions 'who will give bread' or 'how will one get bread' are very fundamental in nature. The Malayalam saying in this regard is worth reflecting: പത്തായം പെറും, ചക്കി കുത്തും, 'അമ്മ വയ്ക്കും ഞാൻ ഉണ്ണും. It shows a culture and experience where things are taken for granted and one thrives on the many givens and lives an unconcerned life, as things are there - available. A related saying could be അപ്പം തിന്നാൽ പോരേ കുഴി എണ്ണുന്നത് എന്തിനാ? That is usually a reprieve - who are you to look into hows and whys of things; or just plainly, 'that's none of your business'! It can also be looked at the other way, happy to get things done without having to bother about the hows-and-whys.
While he thwarted the tempter with a very word-of-god based answer, he never undermined the significance of bread. That's why the prayer he taught prioritises the human need of bread. Of the list of things one asks regarding one's apparent direct well being the first one is that of 'the daily bread'. He was a realist to the core to recognise the disposition Gandhi would later refer to thus: It is futile to preach religion before a hungry stomach. Elsewhere he has commented: God appears before the poor as food. Yes, Jesus is also articulate in that he refers to a 'need based economy' - it is not for storage, not for a tomorrow yet to arrive, it is for the need of the day.
There are two miracles narrated in the gospels - where bread is being multiplied feeding 6000 plus and 4000 plus. He had sympathy for those who were hungry and didn't have the security of food, even though it was of a temporary nature. He insisted that food be given to them. And the food multiplied?? Was it multiplication or sharing of resources which everyone had, leading to abundance? To me, it is happier to believe that the miracle happened in the minds of people, leading to a conversion - from self-centred use to generous sharing of limited resources. Private possessions turning common property resources! lending the experience of abundance.
Jesus is a conscientious consumer - the present SDGs lists among the 17 goals 'responsible consumption and production' as the 12th goal. He ensures that abundance does not lead to wastefulness. Every crumb is picked and collected and stored for next use. In this era, a basic Christian challenge is to create a counter culture for the extremely casual and wasteful culture, The latter is also one of the causes of visible environment degradation and at times, ecological disasters.
Jesus' experience of natural hunger has provoked him to respond in a manner that may be shocking. He apparently pronounced a judgement against the fig tree, which showed appearances of productivity, but was not really so. It is sometimes interpreted as insightfulness of Jesus who could see through the contradiction of the tree, which was indicative of its imminent decay? Only Jesus knows. However, when we pray the Lord's prayer for God's will to be done, and God's reign to come, it definitely implies 'responsible production'. His parable of the sower is also a parable regarding productivity as natural, as God's will.
This is a consumer's world. But as I come back this week after the annual Vishu round of our Organic Fair (12th in a row - this year termed 'Jaiva Karshikotsavam'), I am thrilled by the relatively newer insight we are trying to propagate in terms of 'food security' and 'food safety' (safe food); That if each consumer is willing to spend the time s/he usually spends in eating, for food production, at least one's requirements of vegetables and tubers can be taken care of. More so, if it is done in the family mode - insight from UN International Year of Family Farming celebrated in the year 2014.
He had a very bready thinking when he compared the Kingdom of God to the leaven in the flour which permeates the entire lump and makes it bread-ready. The father of our nation, was very close to his thinking, perhaps more articulate in this regard. He spoke about 'bread labour' and labour to produce bread as an essential human duty, and to be made part of basic education.
In his bread-dialogues, Jesus shows how God the father is the provider of 'true bread' (Jn 6:32) and those who eat that will not hunger. That was really fascinating that the disciples asked without hesitation 'give us this bread always' (Jn 6:34), then Jesus makes a revelation as himself being that bread and those who come to him shall not hunger, and those who believe in him shall not thirst (Jn 6: 35). The latter part is a water-thought, and that calls for another discussion.
But here Jesus goes on to make some very drastic statements : that he is bread of life (6:48), the real food (6:55) those who eat this bread from heaven will not die (6: 50) and that in order to have life, human being ought to eat his body/flesh (and drink his blood) and those who do so, shall have eternal life and will be brought back to life on the last day (6:54) and those who eat his body and drink his blood shall live in Jesus and Jesus in them (6: 56) and as Jesus has life from the father, those who thus 'eat' shall live because of him (6:57).
This inspiration and teaching is further reinforced during the last supper in Mathew's narration. Where he took bread, blessed and broke it and said, 'this is my body given up for you. Do this in memory of me'. (Mtt 26;26; Lk 22:19).
That we have to consume Jesus in order that we assimilate him and assume him (his nature) is a fundamental call. When we consume Jesus we are in Jesus and Jesus in us. Is consumption basically limited to the sacramental bread, or is it symbolic of consuming Jesus' person - life - teaching, that we turn to Christ? Is Jesus ever in our day to to day consumer list or is he merely a ritual appendage? I consume Jesus and in turn, get consumed by Jesus - fire - en-theos - enthusiastic?
After his death and disappearance, Jesus reappears with bread in the foreground or background- when the bread is broken, the disciples en route Emmaus recognised him (Lk 24:30); when the disciples recognises him at the sea-shore, he had prepared for them bread and fish (Jn 21: 9-13).
The triple challenge the pass over celebration offers us are:
1. To recognise the presence of God, of Jesus beyond the sacramental bread to the bread presence of human beings, all having the potential to be blessed, broken and shared. That is a greater sacrament of God, created in God's image and likeness as insisted by the venerable martyr bishop Helder Camera.
2. To produce food and be part of God's reign where everyone is to have one's daily bread. This is equally a call to be responsible in consumption and avoid all wastefulness.
3. A call to consume Jesus beyond the bread presence - his person, his teachings, his values - that we in turn are consumed by him.
In addition, not to forget the significance of table fellowship beyond the divine table - that has to invariably happen at home; and even in the friendship, neighbourhood, parish communities - where we gather to celebrate our oneness our shared Christness through meals, with Jesus as the permanent invitee and invisible head. Hence the Hebrew instruction: 'You shouldn't feel lethargic in coming together' (10/25).
P.S. I stop with two bready experiences.
1. After 123 days of anxiety, involvement, organising, coordinating, facing resistance and lack of cooperation, fear of lack and abundance of rain/water, pestilence etc. we could reap our crop of paddy, sabari, from Thottara Puncha, near Arayankavu. Our joint venture (Rajagiri and SH college, practically managed by SH college) in about a hectare has yielded about 2 tonnes of paddy and about a full truck of hay. At a very optimistic calculation the loss would be around Rs. 50000.00. But perhaps if we convert intangibles like education of students, inspiration for organic farming, maintaining soil fertility etc. then in might be of profit. It is hoped that some rice and some rice flour will be made available for sale.
2. On Good Friday, I was struck by a small cardboard box in front of my room - could it be some bomb? Maybe, may not be! I didn't open it or remove it. When the office staff came and found it they took the risk of opening it and found to our relish and surprise ripened mangoes and an egg, with Easter & Vishu greetings written using a green sketch pen.
No clue as to whose gift. That's again, food!
In Jesus' life, it appears that 'bread' had a very central role - not like anybody else - invariably in whose life, bread, read food, has a central role. Here it is more in the realm of thought, and action besides eating!
Coincidentally, he was born in Bethlehem, which meant 'house of bread'.
One of the first instances narrated about his adult life is regarding his intense days of preparation in the wilderness, where he felt hungry, and he was enticed by the tempter to convert stones into bread! Use spiritual powers for satisfying one's physical needs. Jesus' response is very interesting : It is not by bread alone that humans live, but also by the Word of God. That does imply that humans have the need for 'bread' - food, though a full human life requires more than food. We have Maslow's hierarchy of needs in modern psychology.
So the questions 'who will give bread' or 'how will one get bread' are very fundamental in nature. The Malayalam saying in this regard is worth reflecting: പത്തായം പെറും, ചക്കി കുത്തും, 'അമ്മ വയ്ക്കും ഞാൻ ഉണ്ണും. It shows a culture and experience where things are taken for granted and one thrives on the many givens and lives an unconcerned life, as things are there - available. A related saying could be അപ്പം തിന്നാൽ പോരേ കുഴി എണ്ണുന്നത് എന്തിനാ? That is usually a reprieve - who are you to look into hows and whys of things; or just plainly, 'that's none of your business'! It can also be looked at the other way, happy to get things done without having to bother about the hows-and-whys.
While he thwarted the tempter with a very word-of-god based answer, he never undermined the significance of bread. That's why the prayer he taught prioritises the human need of bread. Of the list of things one asks regarding one's apparent direct well being the first one is that of 'the daily bread'. He was a realist to the core to recognise the disposition Gandhi would later refer to thus: It is futile to preach religion before a hungry stomach. Elsewhere he has commented: God appears before the poor as food. Yes, Jesus is also articulate in that he refers to a 'need based economy' - it is not for storage, not for a tomorrow yet to arrive, it is for the need of the day.
There are two miracles narrated in the gospels - where bread is being multiplied feeding 6000 plus and 4000 plus. He had sympathy for those who were hungry and didn't have the security of food, even though it was of a temporary nature. He insisted that food be given to them. And the food multiplied?? Was it multiplication or sharing of resources which everyone had, leading to abundance? To me, it is happier to believe that the miracle happened in the minds of people, leading to a conversion - from self-centred use to generous sharing of limited resources. Private possessions turning common property resources! lending the experience of abundance.
Jesus is a conscientious consumer - the present SDGs lists among the 17 goals 'responsible consumption and production' as the 12th goal. He ensures that abundance does not lead to wastefulness. Every crumb is picked and collected and stored for next use. In this era, a basic Christian challenge is to create a counter culture for the extremely casual and wasteful culture, The latter is also one of the causes of visible environment degradation and at times, ecological disasters.
Jesus' experience of natural hunger has provoked him to respond in a manner that may be shocking. He apparently pronounced a judgement against the fig tree, which showed appearances of productivity, but was not really so. It is sometimes interpreted as insightfulness of Jesus who could see through the contradiction of the tree, which was indicative of its imminent decay? Only Jesus knows. However, when we pray the Lord's prayer for God's will to be done, and God's reign to come, it definitely implies 'responsible production'. His parable of the sower is also a parable regarding productivity as natural, as God's will.
This is a consumer's world. But as I come back this week after the annual Vishu round of our Organic Fair (12th in a row - this year termed 'Jaiva Karshikotsavam'), I am thrilled by the relatively newer insight we are trying to propagate in terms of 'food security' and 'food safety' (safe food); That if each consumer is willing to spend the time s/he usually spends in eating, for food production, at least one's requirements of vegetables and tubers can be taken care of. More so, if it is done in the family mode - insight from UN International Year of Family Farming celebrated in the year 2014.
He had a very bready thinking when he compared the Kingdom of God to the leaven in the flour which permeates the entire lump and makes it bread-ready. The father of our nation, was very close to his thinking, perhaps more articulate in this regard. He spoke about 'bread labour' and labour to produce bread as an essential human duty, and to be made part of basic education.
In his bread-dialogues, Jesus shows how God the father is the provider of 'true bread' (Jn 6:32) and those who eat that will not hunger. That was really fascinating that the disciples asked without hesitation 'give us this bread always' (Jn 6:34), then Jesus makes a revelation as himself being that bread and those who come to him shall not hunger, and those who believe in him shall not thirst (Jn 6: 35). The latter part is a water-thought, and that calls for another discussion.
But here Jesus goes on to make some very drastic statements : that he is bread of life (6:48), the real food (6:55) those who eat this bread from heaven will not die (6: 50) and that in order to have life, human being ought to eat his body/flesh (and drink his blood) and those who do so, shall have eternal life and will be brought back to life on the last day (6:54) and those who eat his body and drink his blood shall live in Jesus and Jesus in them (6: 56) and as Jesus has life from the father, those who thus 'eat' shall live because of him (6:57).
This inspiration and teaching is further reinforced during the last supper in Mathew's narration. Where he took bread, blessed and broke it and said, 'this is my body given up for you. Do this in memory of me'. (Mtt 26;26; Lk 22:19).
That we have to consume Jesus in order that we assimilate him and assume him (his nature) is a fundamental call. When we consume Jesus we are in Jesus and Jesus in us. Is consumption basically limited to the sacramental bread, or is it symbolic of consuming Jesus' person - life - teaching, that we turn to Christ? Is Jesus ever in our day to to day consumer list or is he merely a ritual appendage? I consume Jesus and in turn, get consumed by Jesus - fire - en-theos - enthusiastic?
After his death and disappearance, Jesus reappears with bread in the foreground or background- when the bread is broken, the disciples en route Emmaus recognised him (Lk 24:30); when the disciples recognises him at the sea-shore, he had prepared for them bread and fish (Jn 21: 9-13).
The triple challenge the pass over celebration offers us are:
1. To recognise the presence of God, of Jesus beyond the sacramental bread to the bread presence of human beings, all having the potential to be blessed, broken and shared. That is a greater sacrament of God, created in God's image and likeness as insisted by the venerable martyr bishop Helder Camera.
2. To produce food and be part of God's reign where everyone is to have one's daily bread. This is equally a call to be responsible in consumption and avoid all wastefulness.
3. A call to consume Jesus beyond the bread presence - his person, his teachings, his values - that we in turn are consumed by him.
In addition, not to forget the significance of table fellowship beyond the divine table - that has to invariably happen at home; and even in the friendship, neighbourhood, parish communities - where we gather to celebrate our oneness our shared Christness through meals, with Jesus as the permanent invitee and invisible head. Hence the Hebrew instruction: 'You shouldn't feel lethargic in coming together' (10/25).
P.S. I stop with two bready experiences.
1. After 123 days of anxiety, involvement, organising, coordinating, facing resistance and lack of cooperation, fear of lack and abundance of rain/water, pestilence etc. we could reap our crop of paddy, sabari, from Thottara Puncha, near Arayankavu. Our joint venture (Rajagiri and SH college, practically managed by SH college) in about a hectare has yielded about 2 tonnes of paddy and about a full truck of hay. At a very optimistic calculation the loss would be around Rs. 50000.00. But perhaps if we convert intangibles like education of students, inspiration for organic farming, maintaining soil fertility etc. then in might be of profit. It is hoped that some rice and some rice flour will be made available for sale.
2. On Good Friday, I was struck by a small cardboard box in front of my room - could it be some bomb? Maybe, may not be! I didn't open it or remove it. When the office staff came and found it they took the risk of opening it and found to our relish and surprise ripened mangoes and an egg, with Easter & Vishu greetings written using a green sketch pen.
No clue as to whose gift. That's again, food!
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