Sharing Bread

Here in the United States, we are surrounded by food. If you don't believe me, just watch the movie "Over the Hedge." Many children are struggling with obesity, often receiving attention in the news or on Oprah. However, we rarely hear the other side of the story for majority-world countries.

Every 3.6 seconds someone dies of hunger (which comes to about 15 million children).

For the price of one missile, a school full of hungry children could eat lunch every day for 5 years.

One in twelve people worldwide is malnourished, including 160 million children under the age of 5.

One out of every eight children under the age of twelve in the U.S. goes to bed hungry every night.

To satisfy the world's sanitation and food requirements would cost only US $13 billion--what the people of the United States and the European Union spend on perfume each year.

On average, we spend 4 hours a day thinking about, preparing, consuming, and cleaning up after our meals. "Give us this day our daily bread..."

A lot of Jesus' ministry revolved around food--the feedings of multitudes of people, parties, beach-side cookouts, and a simple way to remember him. In Jesus' day, you ate with your friends, which is why he got in trouble with the religious people for sharing bread with some of his new friends.

In USAmerican churches, the celebration of communion is often a reflective time of introspection and confession. There are times when we need to be reminded of our humanness and shortcomings.

However, the celebration of communion is also a preview of the feast at the table of the King. There should be times of breaking bread where we celebrate the inbreaking of a different way of looking at the world. Everyone is invited to the party. And no one will go hungry.

Sharing Bread

Gather round this lake of wine

And drink until your heart's content

Dive into the living water

For sharing bread makes us friends

Let your feet rest under the table

Let the kingdom feast begin

Swapping stories, always laughing

For sharing bread makes us friends

On this pilgrim journey travel

Home is just around the bend

Living lightly, one foot raised

Sharing bread will make us friends

Heeding gentle Spirit whisper

Loitering with Love's intent

Catching trade winds in these sails

Sharing bread makes new friends

For all peoples are invited

For all peoples arms extend

Love's the Story where it started

Sharing bread makes us friends