Daily reflection for the Season of Lent

Wednesday 3rd March 2021

‘Hominis Vis – the Strength of Man’

In 1886 Richard ‘Stoney’ Smith made a significant discovery that enabled wheat germ – the most nutritious part of the grain - to be retained whilst the grain was being milled into white flour. At that point in history, white bread was becoming increasing popular, but its lack of nutritious content was causing serious deficiencies in people’s diet, of which bread was a staple food. Smith called his new discovery ‘Smith’s Patent Process Germ Flour.’ A better name was needed and in 1890 a national competition was held to replace the rather clumsy “name. A prize of £25 was offered to the winner. The winner, Herbert Grime, suggesting the name “Hovis”, from the Latin “Hominis Vis” meaning “Strength of Man”.

Bible Reading

John 6:35

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Reflection

In the Bible verse, Jesus makes a phenomenal statement by equating Himself with bread. As bread is an essential staple food for human life, so Jesus is essential for eternal life. This contrast works on several levels. There is world of difference between factory made bread and the loaves which emerge from local bakeries at Ellon, Newburgh & Hatton! In the same way there is a world of difference between authentic worshipping faith lived out among the local community and the sterile faith of private inner belief. As physical bread perishes – either turning mouldy or becoming dry and stale, the spiritual bread by which our faith is fed and nurtured never perishes. After you eat your toast or butteries for breakfast (or croissants if you are posh!), but by midmorning you are again feeling peckish! But after tasting the spiritual bread provided by Jesus, we will never know spiritual hunger again!
The passage also contains words of invitation. The invitation is for you to place your faith in Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God. So what is holding you back? What is preventing you from taking that final step of faith?

Somewhere
a miracle occurs,
a seed is sown
in fertile ground,
germinates,
grows, ripens
and in due season
will be harvested.
Somewhere
a miracle occurs,
from the simplest
of ingredients,
flour and water,
salt and yeast,
kneaded and formed.
Daily bread.
Somewhere
a miracle occurs,
your word is sown
in fertile ground,
germinates,
grows, fruits
and in due season
will be harvested.
Somewhere
a miracle occurs,
as the purest
of ingredients,
love, hope
and joy make
broken lives whole.
Bread of Life.
God of miracle,
provider of
daily bread,
word of life
and love,
we offer you
our thanks.

Prayer

When the journey is long
and we hunger and thirst,
Bread of Life, you sustain us.
When the road is hard
and our bodies weak
Bread of Life, you heal us.
When our spirits are low
and we can’t carry on
Bread of Life, you revive us.
When we offer our hand
in love and in service
Bread of life, you bless us.
When the challenge is great
and the workers are few
Bread of Life, you empower us.
When the victory is won
and we see your face
Bread of Life, you will rejoice with us!
Amen

Blessing

May God the Father,
who does not despise the broken spirit,
give to you a contrite heart.
Amen.
May Christ,
who bore our sins in his body on the tree,
heal you by his wounds.
Amen.
May the Holy Spirit,
who leads us into all truth,
speak to you words of pardon and peace.
Amen.
And the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
Amen.