Give us this Bread always
Yesterday, I had the good fortune to conduct a workshop in Leadership Training to the Leadership Team of a fast growing company in the health care industry. We recognized the challenge of communication. In my presentation I asked ‘is the communication in the company life-giving or demeaning?’ One of the executives remarked ‘I like that phrase, ‘life-giving communication’.
I thought of this week’s Gospel John 6: 24-35, when Jesus offered the people ‘the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world’ They replied ‘Sir, give us this bread always’. Isn’t that so true - we all want life-giving bread and life-giving communication. Yet, so often our communication (the bread we offer each other) is demeaning and not life-giving.
I realized that life-giving communication, much like the bread of life Jesus spoke of, nourishes the spirit and strengthens relationships. It’s a communication that builds up rather than tears down, that fosters understanding and connection instead of division. Just as the people in the Gospel sought the bread that would sustain them, we too must seek and cultivate a way of communicating that breathes life into our interactions, both in the workplace and in our daily lives.
Rowan Douglas Williams, a Welsh Anglican bishop, theologian and poet, former Archbishop of Canterbury, says in his book ‘The Way of St Benedict’ that the language spoken in a community is like the blood that flows through the community. It could either be life-giving or poisonous.
He challenges us to examine the words we speak and the tone we use, recognizing that our communication can either nourish or harm the bonds that hold our families and communities together. If we find that our language tends to be harsh, dismissive, or judgmental, it’s crucial to ask ourselves how we can transform it into something more compassionate, encouraging, and life-affirming.
This change begins with awareness—consciously choosing words that build up rather than break down, listening more than we speak, and seeking to understand before we judge. By fostering a culture of life-giving communication, we can create environments where trust, respect, and love can flourish, ultimately leading to stronger, more resilient communities.
Jesus goes on to tell the people ‘I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.’ While this is an obvious reference to the Eucharist and Communion, I believe it also refers to being Christ-like in our human interactions.
To be Christ-like in our interactions means to offer others the same nourishment we receive from Him—a nourishment that satisfies the deeper hungers of the heart, such as the need for kindness, understanding, and acceptance. This calls us to be intentional in our actions and words, ensuring that they reflect the life-giving grace we've received.
In doing so, we become channels of His love, offering a glimpse of the divine to those we encounter, and contributing to a world where everyone feels valued and loved.
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Another gem reflection Deacon,
I know in my case sometimes when I feel life is hard, I end up communicate this harshness as if I want to share the pain and the suffering I feel as opposed to recognizing that harshness is something we go through as part of a transformation that brings us closer to God. And maybe just maybe we can accelerate this transformation towards God by sharing, not the harshness, but the goodness and the grace of God in our communication.