In an iconic Weight Watchers advertising campaign, media mogul Oprah Winfrey passionately exclaims to the camera, “I . . . Love . . .Bread!”

In a single meme-worthy moment, Oprah connected with millions of people through their collective love of carbohydrates. It was advertising genius. Who doesn’t love bread? A basket of high-quality, still warm-from-the-oven dinner rolls sets the whole tone of our experience in a restaurant. We know this night will be special.

The aroma of homemade bread conjures images of a sweet, old grandmother, lovingly kneading balls of dough on an old farmhouse table. We know we are loved. The velvety texture of a good piece of bread, perhaps accompanied by a pat of sweet creamy butter is essentially the epitome of comfort food. We know we will be nourished. Oprah speaks for the masses . . . “We . . . Love . . . Bread!”

Yet, it is our loving relationship with this simple concoction of yeast, water, and flour that makes a stale piece of bread such a disappointment. Hard, dry bread is possibly the antithesis of comfort food, disappointing, unfulfilling, and even sad on so many levels.

Here lies an analogy to our faith lives during the Lenten season. When our faith lives are abundant, full-bodied, and fresh, we are nourished, comforted, and loved. However, when our faith lives are hard, stale, ignored, or neglected, we are left hungry, unfulfilled, and empty. 

The readings for Holy Thursday focus on the Last Supper, the institution of the Eucharist, and the commandment of love that Jesus gave to his disciples. Each of these readings call into importance the practice of a shared meal and the significance of shared experiences of faith, love, and generosity. Bread is an important symbol in the Bible and represents sustenance and nourishment, both physically and spiritually, and is often used to reveal God’s provision, care, and love for humanity. 

In the first reading from the book of Exodus, we hear about the Passover, a significant event in Jewish history when the God of Israel liberated the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. The Passover meal is a ritual celebration of this liberation, and it was during this meal that Jesus shared bread and wine with his friends in a new light and with a new lens, in the institution of the Eucharist. Today the Eucharist still employs the forms of bread and wine as the source and summit of our faith. St. Paul emphasizes the importance of the Eucharist and reminds us that when we eat the bread and drink the cup, we participate in the body and blood of Jesus and proclaim the death and resurrection of the Lord as our source for new life.

In the Gospel reading from John, Jesus and his friends are gathered to celebrate the ritual meal of Passover and it is at this meal that we hear about Jesus washing the feet of each of his disciples in an act of humility and service. Through this gesture, Jesus is calling us to love and serve one another, with no exceptions, just as He loves and serves us. In the breaking of the bread at this first Eucharist we are reminded that Jesus is the Bread of Life, and the simple act of sharing Jesus’ message of love and service brings us provision, care, comfort, and love.

Through this Lent, the Prep community has been supporting the Catholic Relief Service’s Rice Bowl campaign which calls us to put our faith into action to assist individuals, families, and communities overcome the hardships of hunger and malnutrition. We have made sandwiches for Nourish Bridgeport, collected food for Blessed Sacrament parish, and built raised garden beds on our most recent Urban Plunge. Through these small acts of generosity, the Prep community reaffirms our solidarity with the marginalized who are ignored or neglected, and realizes our commitment to justice that allows for everyone to feel nourished, comforted, and loved, one figurative piece of bread at a time.

Dr. Michelle Smith teaches theology at Fairfield Prep.