A prayer while preparing food

Fiona Reynolds February 15, 2023 2 1

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John 21: 4-13 (NRSVA)

4 Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, ‘Children, you have no fish, have you?’ They answered him, ‘No.’ 6 He said to them, ‘Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.’ So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the lake. 8 But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.

9 When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.’ 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ because they knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 

Jesus breaks and shares bread with disciples and followers quite a lot in the Gospels. It is a recurring motif. What is less common is the image of him labouring over an open fire or a hot stove. It is not exactly explicit in this section of John, but it is strongly implied that it is Jesus himself who is tending to the charcoal fire, fish and bread. Even this seemingly mundane yet necessary daily task is within the scope of Jesus’s ministry.

PRAYER:

God of every harvest,

this is perhaps the closest I come to being a magician:

bringing together different foods and flavours

into a whole new experience,

that transcends anything they would be alone.

Basic chemistry is important,

as is the quality of the ingredients,

but may my attention and endeavours

combine equally well with skill and experience,

so this meal might feed my soul as well as my body,

as I seek to follow Jesus in all I do this day, AMEN.