Sunday, February 18, 2018

Baking Bread - Ordinary Sabbath Holiness


The Pentateuch (the first five books of the Torah) portrays the Jews as people on the move. The instability of their way of life created a thirst for God. Sabbath celebration became an intentional way for the Jews to stay grounded and at home through their relationship with God wherever they were. They came to anticipate joyfully, this day of rest, reconnection and co-creation with God, the only constant in their nomadic life.

Driving home recently, I heard a feature on National Public Radio about Sabbath. The reporter noted that allowing time for maintaining the Sabbath remains important in the life of the Jewish people.

Connecting with one's soul, either by maintaining a weekly day for Sabbath or by establishing other ways of being with God seems even more essential for life in today's fast-paced world. While the nature and content of today's routine differs from that of people in the Old Testament, Christians as well as Jews have struggled to keep the kind of intentional spirituality imperative to sustain a sense of God's presence in daily living.

Baking Bread

One of my favorite ways to create Sabbath during an ordinary task happens when I bake bread. Praying and centering with God while baking bread adds holiness to a common task. The resulting tangible expression of Christ's body provides physical and spiritual nourishment that I often share with others.

The simplicity of ingredients for bread - milk, yeast, flour, sugar, butter - reminds believers that Jesus was a simple person, unencumbered by possessions or wealth. Jesus taught about the power of small things - yeast, seeds, a pearl and a mustard seed.

Lighting a candle before I start to bake reminds me that God is present. As I gather the ingredients in silence, I also gather the names, events or circumstances to pray about while I bake. I bless my hands before I knead the dough to acknowledge that God is in my hands. My hands are doing holy work.

Kneading

Kneading he dough helps me thing of the way God kneads my soul to grow, to change and move closer to God. I pray for strength to remain open to God's kneading and leading with the constant assurance of God's presence.

Baking

As the bread bakes, I become immersed in the aroma of creation. When the bread is finished baking, I rub margarine over the top of each loaf thinking how baking bread is a tangible venture from Genesis to resurrection, as well as my spiritual journey during the creation of two loaves.

Reflecting

While the bread cools, I take a piece of white paper and tear into the shape of a loaf of bread. Tearing rather than cutting represents the uneven edges and the unknown of life. Sometimes I write a sentence, a prayer, a reflection or blessing that expresses how I felt during my baking retreat. If I am giving a loaf to someone else, I will include the paper to let them know that God was with me as I baked.

Cleaning

Gathering the pans and bowls to wash, I thank God for being with me, and speaking to me while I baked bread. This activity offered me a few hours of Sabbath rest in the midst of a busy day.

Questions for Reflection

1. Allowing a whole day for Sabbath may be difficult to arrange. Instead, choose an ordinary activity. Ask God to increase your awareness of God's presence as you complete the task.

2. Light a candle before you begin. God is with you always.

Prayer:  God, Jews long ago knew that arranging time with you each week gave them strength to continue their days. Guide us in ways that allow us to bring holiness to ordinary tasks so that we too can stay close to you. Amen.


1 comment:

  1. You can make the simplest things so special by simply adjusting your mind (and heart). Thanks for sharing this behind-the-scenes look at your time baking bread.

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