Tag: sufficiency

Bread for sharing

11th July 2026

Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Matthew 7:9

You Lord, are the source of all good things: 

We praise you.

You call us to tend and care for your creation: 

May we strive to do your will.

You have made us as brothers and sisters with all that lives: 

May we live together in peace.

As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease. Genesis 8:22 

Heavenly Parent, mother and father of us all,

May you be ever honoured by your children.

For you are the one who caused the earth to bring forth seed bearing plants –

wheat and barley, oats and rye and all manner of grains. 

You are the one who provides the staff of life.

Hallowed be your name!

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55: 10 -11

Heavenly God, creator of soul and body,

May you be ever honoured by your creation.

From you comes wisdom and insight 

so that we may learn how to love you and our neighbour.

You are the one who provides the staff of life.

May your kingdom come!

Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. Matthew 14:19-20

Heavenly Redeemer, sustainer of life, 

May you be ever honoured by your people.

You provided manna for the long years in the wilderness,

And the harvests of the earth are sufficient to feed the whole world,

such that all should have the means to thrive and flourish.

May your will be done!

So we pray:

Teach us today and every day 

to handle bread with respect.

Teach us today and every day 

to appreciate that bread is the means of life.

Teach us today and every day 

to take only what we need.

Teach us today and every day

 not to steal from tomorrow’s supply.

Teach us today and every day

 not to hoard what comes to us as a gift.

Teach us today and every day 

to share what you give us.

Teach us today and every day

 not to be satisfied until everyone is fed.

Amen.

Advent 3

December 2022

Well stocked is an understatement for this kitchen. It is abounding with absurd amounts of fresh meat, game, exotic fruits and vegetables: there is barely room for the kitchen maids to work. And every remaining nock and cranny is filled with a wine cup or goblet. The impending festivities do not seem to be limited to food and drink; the semi dressed figures behind the central maid suggest sexual indulgences too.

The scene is purposefully set against the scene we can see through the doorway in the back of the picture. Here in subdued tones we see Christ with Mary sat listening at his feet and Martha interrupting their conversation. Martha complains that it is unfair that she is left to do all the domestic work, but Jesus rebukes her, saying that Mary has chosen the better response. 

This picture reminds us that we can get too enthralled in preparing the material aspects of our Christmas celebrations. We could be less ambitious, less profligate, less demanding of the time we must spend on these preparations and instead have time to sit and wait at Jesus’s feet. 

‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.’ 

Luke 12:22,23