world bread day

Did you know that today is World Bread Day ?  A quick search revealed about 17 million references to this occurrence.

It seems that in affluent  countries, bread has become much more than the staff of life.  I was at a food market day held at St John's , Ashfield last Saturday.*   Really that just illustrates my previous sentence, doesn't it?  There is a small bread stall there devoted to specialty breads. I bought a long Turkish loaf which was toasted for Sunday breakfast with my two small grandchildren who had stayed overnight.  I also bought some delicious rosemary and olive sourdough bread which we started for lunch and which I finished today.

Both were a far cry from the  standard square white loaf delivered by the baker to my home everyday except Sunday.  Today there is an enormous variety of grains and styles, along with flavours.  Bread has almost become a fashion statement.  Organic? Grain? which grain? Enriched with many vitamins and such things as folic acid?  No additives?  Lots of preservatives so the soft loaf remains soft even weeks old.  Full of flavour or bland and fluffy?  Beetroot, potato? rye?

I felt awkward and perhaps a bit guilty buying the sourdough bread.  Bread or its equivalent is all that many people have, and here I was buying such a delicious loaf.

Let's face it.  Most of us in western countries are incredibly well off by the standards of many millions.  It is said that the contents of our rubbish bins show  that. 

Some blogs lately have been discussing Jesus' command to the rich young ruler to sell all he had and to give to the poor.  Some seem to think that we are called to this today.

I don't believe this is so.  Live simply so others may simply live may be a cliche, but it's also good advice.  However I believe Jesus was testing that young man.  He loved his riches.  Quite possibly the culture of shame evident in that day also played a part in his reply to Jesus, along with other cultural matters.  I don't believe that we are being told by Jesus to do the same as a blanket commandment.

I do give to charities helping the poor and hungry and would give more if I had it.  I'm not  well off  by many standards although I don't lack anything  really. 

Perhaps I've bitten off more than I can chew!

*For Sydney locals;   StJohn's Anglican Church, Ashfield.  Between Alt and Bland Streets, Ashfield.   2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month, unless there are five in month in which case it is the 3rd and 5th Saturday!  Starts about 9:30.

The markets are only small but good food and a few other things.  Very pleasant surroundings and an historic graveyard well worth exploring.