Scripture is multi-layered. For example, when we think of bread in a Biblical context, many interrelated images come to mind. First and foremost is Jesus as the bread of life, as mentioned in today's reading from John (v 32). There's also the story of manna - the "bread from heaven" that God sent to feed the Israelites as they wandered the desert; this is mentioned in John and also in our reading from Deuteronomy. The author of Deuteronomy says manna was sent not just for survival, but to teach God's people "that one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD" (v 3). If we bounce this idea against John's description of Jesus as the Logos - the Word of God made flesh - we come full circle in understanding that God has always been providing for our physical needs, while teaching us we are more than merely the sum of those needs.
If scripture is multi-layered, human beings are even more so, processing our lives in many ways at the same time. We are constantly aware of our need for physical bread - that is, anything that serves and sustains our physical bodies. But our souls long for another kind of nourishment, a spiritual nourishment that helps us find meaning and make sense of the world. And sometimes these seem to be at odds.
Some of us find meaning and sense in reason, in the chemistry of the bread recipe and the laws of nature that explain why the bread rises. Others find them in faith, in the eternal truths about love, mercy and grace that defy any recipe or calculation. Unfortunately, many people feel they must choose one or the other, and buy into the idea that a gap exists between them. But scripture tells us one does not live by ordinary bread alone: that use of "alone" indicates we need both types of bread in our lives - one to sustain our mortal lives and the other to feed us for eternal life. Both are from God, and both represent realities we live in as children of God. Too much or not enough of either, and we fail to live fully. A well-balanced diet of faith and reason keeps our intellects and spirits healthy.
Evening readings: Psalms 27, 93h
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