4th Sunday after Epiphany

4th Sunday after the Epiphany

Feast of Saint Brigid of Ireland (February 1)

Lectionary Texts:  Jeremiah 1:4-10; Psalm 71:1-6; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13; Luke 4:21-30

Bread Words

The 1st of February is the feast day of Saint Brigid of Ireland, a nun and the Abbess of Kildare during the fifth century.  "As best as can be discerned through the mists of legend, it is believed that Brigid was born into slavery and was later converted to Christianity by St. Patrick sometime in her childhood.  She was granted her freedom when it proved impossible to curb her enthusiasm for giving alms;  it seems she would otherwise have imporveished her master through such unauthorized largesse.  The themes of generosity and compassion are the feature of miracles without number.  Brigid's only desire was 'to satisfy the poor, to expel every hardship, to spare every miserable man.'...Many of her marvels have a particularly maternal character, reflecting her propensity to nourish and give succor...'Once a leprous woman asking for milk, there being none at hand she gave her cold water, but the water was turned into milk, and when she had drunk it the woman was healed.' " (From All Saints:  Daily Reflections on Saints, Prophets, and Witnesses for Our Time  by Robert Ellsberg)

The Irish are renowned for their story-telling.  The Celtic tales had been passed from generation to generation in the oral tradition centuries before the birth of Jesus.  In fifth century Ireland, the parables and miracles of Jesus must have resonated with the Irish people accustomed to reveling in the heroic and mythic lore of the Celts.  Another Celtic tradition employed to interpret Christianity to the Irish people was the use of straw-plaiting to create the shape of the St. Brigit's Cross.  According to Nigel Pennick, "there are a number of prescriptions that must be observed in making St. Bridget's Crosses.  They must be made on St. Bridgit's Eve, after sunset on the last day of January.  St. Bridget's Day marks the commencement of the pastoral year.  Rushes must be pulled up, not cut, and the weaving must be done sunwise, from left to right.  There are a number of patterns for St. Bridget's Crosses, but the most common is in the form of four equal arms, set on the edge."  (From The Celtic Cross: An Illustrated History and Celebration )

The shape for the Communion bread is based on another traditional configuration of the St. Brigit's Cross as illustrated in Pennick's book.  The bread dough is a simple one made with milk, honey, butter, and whole wheat.

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup boiling water

2 teaspoons dry yeast

3-3 1/2 cups unbleached flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup butter

1 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Pouring the boiling water into the milk in a large mixing bowl should make the liquid just the right temperature for dissolving the yeast.  Stir in 2 cups of the unbleached flour and then let it stand for a few minutes.  Add the honey, butter, whole wheat flour, salt and enough unbleached flour to make a stiff dough.  Turn the dough out on a floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes.  Return the dough to the bowl which has been well-greased with more butter or with olive oil.  Let the dough rise for 1-1 1/2 hours.

Deflate the dough and separate into 7 pieces.  With the smallest (There will be a smallest piece.  It's very HARD to divide anything into 7 equal pieces.) piece, divide it into four portions.

Roll out the six large portions into ropes about 16-inches long.  Each rope represents a bundle of rushes used to create the plaited St. Brigit's Cross.  Weave the ropes together on a well-greased baking sheet, attempting to create symmetrical arms radiating from the center.

Roll the four small portions into thin ropes representing the grasses used to wrap the bundled ends of the arms of the "cross."  Rolling the dough to a length of about 9-inches allows you to wrap the dough arms twice, and that feels right.  Let the dough rise for about an hour.  Bake at 375-degrees.  Let the bread cool for 5-minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. 

It's a MIRACLE!  The bread tastes like LOVE.  And when we eat the bread, we partake of the miracle and we become the LOVE.  May we live this week in the generous spirit of Saint Brigit!