This eating of his bread joins us to him. It joins us to his death, because his death was for us. It means also that his death comes to characterise our life too. We carry around in our bodies the death of Jesus, Paul said.
Never mind the afflictions in Egypt. The afflictions of Christ are greater. And they continue on his followers.
We take the bread and believe it speaks to us of his death for us. We believe it is a visible message that promises forgiveness that results from his death. But we also take the bread and find that it involves us in his sufferings.
Which we generally don’t like. Which we generally try to avoid. The shame, the rejection, the marginalisation, the hatred that goes with being his follower.
But as we take bread Sunday by Sunday, we should pause and remember that this is bread of affliction as well as bread of forgiveness. Do you really want to eat this?
Jesus said, Take it. Eat it. Not an offer. Not a choice. It goes with the Saviour. It is part of the route to heaven.
But it is his bread. Or rather he is the bread. He is the life who goes with us. He is the one who knows what it is like to suffer opposition and scorn. He is the one who has been tested. And he is therefore the best one to help us in our troubles.
That is the bread to eat.
Dale