Helen Tyte

Bread

A woman’s son set out on the adventure of a lifetime, but was soon feared missing as nothing had been seen or heard of him in many weeks. Early each morning the mother baked bread rolls, one for each member of her family, and an extra one in memory of her son. She would place the extra bread roll on the window sill, and each morning a homeless beggar would take it. This went on, day after day for many months, and often the woman felt irritated. “Not a single word of gratitude,” she grumbled to herself. Each morning was the same. The bread was baked and the extra roll was taken by the same beggar, without a word of thanks.

The woman decided enough was enough. She was all for giving to charity and helping those less fortunate, but the beggar continued to show no gratitude for the bread. ‘Tomorrow morning,’ she decided, ‘I will stop making the extra roll.’

The next morning came and the woman divided and rolled out the soft dough and started to place the rolls onto the baking sheet. She had been working on autopilot and had not noticed that she had, once again, included the extra roll in memory of her lost boy. ‘Tomorrow I will remember not to.’ she said to herself sadly. The extra roll was baked and left on the window sill, and the homeless man took it as usual, without a word of thanks.

Later that evening, there was a knock on the door. The woman was amazed and overjoyed to find her son standing outside. He had grown thin and lean. His garments were tattered and torn. He was starving, hungry, and very weak. The woman pulled him into a huge hug, then listened as he explained that during his adventure he had lost his way in life, he had wasted his savings and had ended up living on the streets, slowly trying to make his way back home. ‘Mother, it’s a miracle I’m here. I had made it to the outskirts of town, and was so famished that I collapsed. I didn’t have the energy to walk any further. Another homeless man passed by me and I cried out for help. Seeing I was starving he was kind enough to give me a whole bread roll, which gave me just enough energy to get up and keep going.’

Sometimes we feel unappreciated when we carry out good deeds or help people out and they don’t say ‘thank you’. Be like Jesus, the bread of life, who was sent as salvation for all, even those who don’t give him thanks. Strive to share what you can with those around you, even if they don’t always show their appreciation.