May 11
We Pray and Celebrate with Wheat
by Maryann Ziemer
From the time of the Jewish Passover meal that
became Christ’s Last Supper, our rituals and
prayers have been rich in references to the grain
of wheat, to harvests, to bread. We express it in
our communal meals, in our mission to feed the
hungry, in thanksgiving for abundant crops, and
in the ultimate bread of life that we share in
the Eucharist.
The imagery is all around us. Sheaves of wheat and loaves of bread are
artfully depicted in the stained glass and carved wood of our worship
spaces. In our Scripture readings we hear of the unleavened bread of
our ancestors in faith who prepared for flight (Exodus 12:8-11).We hear
of the manna that God provided as food in the desert (Exodus 16:4), and
we hear God promise the oppressed that they shall not want for bread
(Isaiah 51:14). We marvel at the baskets of bread left over from
feeding the hungry thousands (John 6:13), and we know the significance
of Jesus blessing, breaking, and sharing the bread at the Last Supper
(Mark 14:22). Our Easter Vigil often includes the ritual blessing of
foods, wheat bread among them.
Talk about: At the core of all this is our belief in the suffering,
death, and Resurrection of Jesus. Jesus—that single grain of
wheat—falls, dies, and rises from death itself. Jesus is our salvation.
Jesus is the eternally abundant and saving bread of life.
You
can
help your students share the joy and meaning of the season with
their families. Make copies of these weekly reflections, spanning
seven weeks of the Easter Season, and have students take them home to
share.
Click here for At Home with the Easter Season: Week One.
Click here for At Home with the Easter Season: Week Two.
Click here for At Home with the Easter Season: Week Three.
Click here for At Home with the Easter Season: Week Four.
Click here for At Home with the Easter Season: Week Five.
Click here for At Home with the Easter Season: Week Six.
Maryann
Ziemer is a published author with teaching experience in pre-K,
kindergarten, and seventh-grade religious education. She writes about
subjects related to health, science, and education.
Source: CATECHIST Magazine, April/May 2010
Copyright
2010, Peter Li, Inc. This article may not be reprinted or reproduced in
any form without permission, except for use with your classes or
families.
