Our daily bread

If you grew up in a Catholic household like mine, you probably learned the entire Our Father long before you could even spell your own name.

The Our Father is a prayer I have recited a few million times in my life and counting. While I have always revered it as the words Jesus gave us, I found myself drawn into the prayer anew today.

“Give us this day our daily bread.” I have generally read and recited these words quite literally. Jesus invites us to ask God to provide nourishment for our physical bodies. What if we venture to go a bit deeper here and posit that we are asking God to nourish our souls as well with the “bread sent down from heaven”? What if, in fact, we are asking the Father for physical and spiritual nourishment.

He gave us His son, Jesus, with the intention of Him providing His people with “living bread” in which, once eaten, we would never hunger.

Today, I realized the depth of this beloved prayer. I thank God for His gently nudge, inviting me to venture deeper into His words.

May Jesus, “the living bread come down from Heaven,” fill you this day with all your soul is longing for.

Blessings to You and Yours!