Broken bread
A short story on young Jim who needed to be exactly there, to learn a valuable lesson.
Jim’s boss asked him to do a simple task: walk to the bakery and collect the ordered loaves of bread. Then stop at the wine store and buy a few extra bottles of red wine. Jim had been working as an apprentice in the kitchen for half a year now. Yet he had to do these odd tasks in addition to his regular work. He felt unappreciated and was about to quit.
Making his way back to the restaurant, the smell of the freshly baked bread tempted him to break off a piece. Nobody would notice if he later cut off the broken end. Just as he was about to commence, someone from behind bumped into him.
‘Sorry!’ the runner shouted and then disappeared into a side street.
Curious as to what it was all about, he followed the runner.
The small street led to the large market square, which was filled with people.
‘What is going on?’ Jim wondered.
Pushing himself through the crowd he saw a group of twelve men walking in two lines. In the middle of them someone's head rose above the crowd. Taking a closer look, a man dressed all white, sat on a donkey and let himself be cheered at. He shook hands, waved and now and then stopped for a moment to put his hand on a bowed head.
Who is this man?
Wait a minute! Isn’t it that person supposed to be Jesus he had learnt about many years ago at Sunday school?! This must be some reenactment.
The man sitting on the donkey approached Jim and stopped right next to him.
‘Is that bread and wine for us?’
‘I, Ehm, it is for my boss,’ Jim stumbled back.
’Go, then and take it where it is needed.’
Jim watched in amazement as the procession continued. Then a church bell rang three times reminding him he had to hurry. On the corner he paused, broke a small piece of bread. While he slowly ate it, he thought about what the man had said to him.
Back in the restaurant Jim’s boss asked irritably:
‘What took you so long?!’
’I, well, it was busy.’
‘Ok, ok. Now take the bread and wine to the back room. There you will find a round wooden scale in the middle of the table. Put the bread there. Then open up one bottle of wine and pour it in a jar. Place that next to the scale.
‘Does the bread need to be sliced up?’ Jim asked.
’No, just leave them in one piece. And make sure there are 13 chairs around the table.’
A bit shameful, he hid the broken bread under an unbroken loaf. Then one by one men started to enter the space. Jim stood in the corner and waited until he could pass them. Finally walking out the room, he bumped into his boss who whispered:
‘Stay here and if there is anything they need, you serve them.’
‘But, am I not to work in the kitchen? Jim spluttered. ‘Surely there is a waiter available.’
‘Not today. Today you are needed here.’ whispered his boss back.
Jim obeyed but from inside he was raging from anger. Meanwhile all the men had taken their seats. Then Jim recognized the man dressed in white.
‘What is this? Am I dreaming?’ thought Jim, while gently squeezing his arm causing a twinge of pain.
Slowly the voices faded away and it became quiet. Everyone looked at the man in white who stood up. He reached out to take a loaf of bread.
'Not the broken one!' it screamed in Jim's head.
It was too late. Jim felt his face turn red as the man took the broken bread, and looked Jim straight in the eyes.
Jim watched how slowly the fingers slid over the broken part.
‘It was you, wasn’t it?’
Jim bowed his head in shame and nodded.
’You have taken the bread and wine where it is needed. By breaking the bread ahead of us, you did just as needed.’
Confused Jim asked: ‘What do you mean sir?’
‘You see, by serving us broken bread, it reminds us even better of the One who started this ritual the very first time. He asked us to remember this moment. That His body had been broken for those who believe and not believe. That is why we came together tonight.’
‘Why am I needed here?’
‘Sometimes life takes you to places and situations that you'd most like to run away from. Just as Jesus wanted to as well. We come together every year to remind ourselves to stay put. No matter what. To take decisions from the heart and not out of anger or frustration.’
Confused by these words Jim watched as the man in white started to break the bread in pieces, then handing it out. One by one the men ate in silence.
Next the wine was poured into a large cup and went from hand to hand. One of the men stood up, walked to Jim and handed him the cup.
As Jim took a sip of the wine he felt all doubts slip away from him.
He had made up his mind.