“I am the bread that descended out of heaven.” In a single sentence, Jesus gathers and interweaves three images: bread, heaven, and reaching humanity.
A journey of nourishment from heaven, but what kind of bread is baked in heaven? I am bread, Jesus points out, not in the way that a handful of flour and water in the oven becomes bread. I am bread because my work is to nourish the depths of life.
“I am the bread from heaven descending to earth.”
Jesus insists that earth without heaven is only dust and no breath. The religious leaders’ obtuse views reach as far as their noses; Jesus contemplates a caring God moved by eternal love for his creation.
And here is the key to the story. Jesus’ touch reaches all creation: there is a part of heaven that makes up the earth, heavenly breath infused into our souls; our mystery is not in us; it is beyond us.
Like the bread, which started as earth’s dust and the sun’s gold, sower and reaper caressed the seeds, sun rays nourished it, and it became fragrant sustenance out of the oven. This transformative journey of the bread speaks loudly of Jesus’ ministry, where Jesus, as accessible bread, reaches them all.
Jesus’ compassion is evident in his longing to nourish fragile souls yearning for God’s embrace. He offers comfort and care, giving life while taking pain away. The man from Nazareth becomes unleavened bread; the small and delicate heavenly bread reaches their souls.