I have heard of a monk who in his cell had a glorious vision of Jesus revealed to him. Just then a bell rang, which called him away to distribute loaves of bread among the poor beggars at the gate. He was sorely tried as to whether he should lose a scene so inspiring. He went to his act of mercy; and when he came back the vision remained more glorious than ever.
I love metaphor. It provides two loaves where there seems to be one. Sometimes it throws in a load of fish.
Instead of loaves of bread, many times God gives out handfuls of purpose.
The wheat bought by a farmer to sow is comparatively a fixed capital to the wheat purchased by a baker to make into loaves.
[Jem] looked from Will to Tessa and raised his silvery eyebrows. "A miracle," he said. "You got him to speak. " "Just to shout at me, really," said Tessa. "Not quite loaves and fishes.
Twin loaves of bread have just been born into the world under my auspices. Fine children, the image of their mother. And here, my dear friend, is the glory.
I've been baking bread and looking after the baby. . . Everyone else who has asked me that question over the last few years says. 'But what else have you been doing?' To which I say, 'Are you kidding?' Because bread and babies, as every housewife knows, is a full-time job. After I made the loaves [of bread,] I felt like I had conquered something. But as I watched the bread being eaten, I thought, Well, Jesus, don't I get a gold record or knighted or nothing?
If you have two loaves of bread, keep one to nourish the body, but sell the other to buy hyacinths for the soul.
