LS-18-Secret Bread

Secret Bread And he shall stand, and shall feed his flock in the strength of the Lord ... and they shall abide.--Micah 5:4.

Thus spoke the prophet, in one of those Messianic predictions which told of the coming of Him at whose Table we gather today. No soul can go without its necessary nourishment. Jesus Himself said, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. We are all nourished and upborne, not alone by the physical bread which is our daily portion, but by some secret bread which sustains the inner life, and impels us towards our goal. In a work of fiction entitled "Secret Bread," by Tennyson Jesse, one of the characters is Parson Boase, who says to a young man: "There is only one thing certain--that we all have something, some secret bread of our own soul, by which we live, that nourishes and sustains us. It may be a different thing for each man alive." For some, it is a beautiful earthly love, for some a noble sacrificial service. Others there are who find their springs of action in a consuming ambition, or an unhallowed desire--they spend their money for that which is not bread, and their labour for that which satisfieth not. Parson Boase said, "That feeds my soul from which my soul came, and daily the vision draws nearer to me and its reflection here strengthens even my earthly eyes. This world is dear and sweet, but only because I know that it is not all, or even the most important part. Each day is the sweeter to me because each day I can say, ’Come quickly, O Lord Jesus.’ "

There is a beautiful story told of Francis of Assisi, "the jongleur of Christ"--Christ’s gleeman, concerning his visit to the bishop of Ostia. He sat next to his host at the sumptuous table. Knights and nobles were there, whose attire contrasted strangely with the rough garb of the monk. As they feasted, Francis took food from his wallet of alms and began to eat. It was poor food that he had begged, and this he ate while his hosts and the other guests partook of the rich provision of the bishop’s table. But to him his meagre food was the Bread of God, which had been given him by the peasants among whom he loved to work. Then with that gaiety and courtesy which so characterised him, he gave a morsel to each of the knightly guests, saying: "I hold this as toward God the highest nobility and royal dignity, in honour of Him, who, being Lord of all, was willing for our sakes to become the servant of all."

We, too, have our secret bread. We find it this morning in communion with our risen Lord and Redeemer. In that spiritual experience which He Himself described as eating the Living Bread which came down from heaven we are nourished and refreshed. Lord, evermore give us this bread!

Break Thou the Bread of Life,
Dear Lord, to me;
As Thou didst break the loaves
Beside the sea.