Let’s Break Bread

By Lisa Marie Burwell

More than likely, you have heard the saying, “Let’s break bread together.” One does not have to understand the Biblical reference to appreciate or understand the impressive connotation that accompanies these words. It’s one of those intangibles that you can feel in your soul. The meaning of the phrase is not limited to merely consuming a meal with one another. It also means to connect and interact with another or others on an intimate level of fellowship.

There is something sacred about sitting down to a table with friends, family, and colleagues. It’s personal and familiar, and that is an essential part of sharing with others—to feel engaged and to relate to one another. Breaking bread with someone you have met for the first time can be a completely transformative experience. It can also be a great healer as it’s almost impossible to be at odds with anyone that you’ve broken bread with.

It seems fitting that bread has, for centuries, been considered sustenance for both soul and body. Whatever the grain, bread has occupied an important place in almost every civilization in known history. The phrase “break bread” first began with Jesus sharing fellowship in communion with His disciples. Following His resurrection and through the years, Christians have preserved the symbol of bread as God’s ultimate gift to mankind—eternal life.

“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” — John 6:35

It is for this reason that breaking bread carries such a long-lasting significance—it is a time when life-giving nourishment is shared in fellowship among friends and loved ones. It’s a ritual that has been all but lost in our society—one that should to be recultivated and practiced more than ever. Let’s do our part in keeping this wondrous custom alive. Don’t let this day end without breaking bread with someone.

To life!

—Lisa Marie

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