By Joe Mazzella
I was a little boy sitting in church on a hard, wooden pew, trying to sit still and not squirm while listening to the sermon. Most of it went over my young mind each week, but there always came a point when we recited the Lord’s prayer. And there was a part of it that I understood very clearly: “Give us this day our daily bread.” That part spoke to me because each Sunday afternoon my beloved Nana would bake a couple of loaves of homemade Italian bread for our after church dinner. My brothers liked the middle part but I always enjoyed the heel piece at the end. I would cover the still warm bread with butter, watch it melt, and then eat the piece with a smile on my face and a joy in my heart.
I think, though, that what I enjoyed more than eating the bread was seeing Nana’s face when I ate it. She was so happy. Her eyes sparkled when she said: “Mangia, Mangia” which means “Eat, Eat.” I so loved her joyful smile, her shining eyes, her sing song voice, and her huge hugs whenever I came into the kitchen to watch her cook. She cooked to fill our stomachs but it was her love that filled my heart. I still miss her every single day. And I always try to be as generous, kind, giving, and loving to others as she was in her own life.
Now that I am older too I understand that our “daily bread” isn’t just food for our stomachs but also nourishment for our souls. When we pray to God asking for our daily bread what we are really asking is that He in His infinite Love give us just what we need to Live and Love today. Because Today is the only day any of us ever have.
May God always give you your daily bread: bread for your body and bread for your soul. May God always give you the Love you need to fully live Today. And may you like my dear, sweet Nana always share your bread, your kindness, and your love with everyone.
