Devotional for the Week

Jesus, Living Bread

Devotional for the week of August 11, 2024

What is meant by “living bread”?

When the Israelites were wandering in the desert, God gave them manna from heaven to sustain them on their way. They had to collect this manna every day and could not harvest more than one day’s portion, except to prepare for the sabbath, because if they did, the manna would go bad. That is the fate of everything that is not living: cars rust, food molds, even still water stagnates. But to be living is to find renewal over and over and over again. One of the defining characteristics of life is the ability to be renewed.

God’s renewal also comes to us throughout our daily lives. God’s redeeming love for us is often most present at the edge of our sin and brokenness, where we are most in need of healing and redemption. God’s redeeming love is present every time we find reconciliation with a loved one or forgive one another. Anywhere we experience healing and wholeness in our daily lives, God’s renewal is present, and we are reminded of the renewal we receive through the sacrament of the altar. Thanks be to God for providing us with the living bread that is Jesus, through whom we find renewal and peace.