Jesus Said, “Breakfast Is Ready” (includes my irresistible porridge recipe)

Since we are between the resurrection and the ascension of Jesus in the church calendar, I find it appropriate to share some of my thoughts related to one of the encounters Jesus had with his disciples after his resurrection.

John 21:12-14 The Message

Jesus said, “Breakfast is ready.” Not one of the disciples dared ask, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Master.

Jesus then took the bread and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus had shown himself alive to the disciples since being raised from the dead.

What did just happen? Jesus cooked breakfast for his friends in his resurrected body? Of course he did!

The Most Loved Meal of the Day I love my breakfast. I often go to bed dreaming about my breakfast. Or I go to bed early so that the time for breakfast would come sooner. You must be wondering by now, “What does the woman eat for breakfast that she is so obsessed with it?”

Honestly, I love pretty much all breakfast foods, such as granola, pancakes, toast and jam, eggs, fruit, yoghurt, croissants, fruit smoothies, omelette, breakfast burrito, and tea to go with it all. I am salivating already! I only eat those once in a while though.

The real secret, that I am so obsessed about, is my oatmeal porridge. I make and eat porridge nearly every morning. My husband and I are newly-weds and he just said to me the other day thoughtfully, “You know what I just realized? I will be probably eating porridge every morning for the rest of my life.”

Now, it’s not just whatever plain, boring watery porridge, but a rich flavourful feast of a porridge!

My Irresistible Breakfast Porridge Recipe

Make the porridge as instructed on the package for two. I make my porridge in water, and use both old fashioned whole oats as well as quick oats. They both equally make delicious breakfast in my opinion.

Then comes the most important part,

Add:

• 1 tbsp. flax seed meal

• ½ tsp. cinnamon

• 1 tbsp. coconut cream (this gives it a lovely creamy texture even though it’s made in water instead of milk)

• 1 whole banana, sliced up

• Handful of raisins

Mix and let it simmer under a lid in low heat until it reaches the consistency you like. You can always add hot water later (that you boiled for your tea in the meanwhile) if you think it’s too thick.

I eat this with (coconut) milk or yogurt and replace banana with berries or other fruit once in a while for variation. It’s super healthy and filling, and did I already mention delicious?! I don’t need to ever add sugar because banana and coconut butter are sweet enough, but if you want you can add honey or I’d imagine maple syrup would be tasty too.

Porridge-making as a Preparation for Prayer

Cooking is wonderfully contemplative and mindful activity that, helps me to be present. I see this mundane routine of preparing porridge as one of the “daily graces” that forces me to get out of my head and into my body, and make space to notice what’s keeping my dear mind so busy. I consider this becoming aware of myself as the first step of listening prayer. It is only when I begin to notice myself that I start noticing God with me, and hearing his loving whispers to me.

Prayer and Porridge Rituals and routines help me to pray. This obsession with my morning porridge also serves as a reminder for prayer. Distractions are always lurking, and having a fixed place and time for prayer increases the chances of making it a daily priority.

Reflection Questions

• What’s your favorite meal?

• Meals are places of communion. Have you ever experienced meal times as communion with God?

• What changes could you make so that you could share a meal with Jesus more intentionally?

• Are there any meals that you eat by yourself?

• Would you consider taking a vow of silence with your family for a duration of a meal once in a while in order to experience silent communion with God, while still eating together?

• What would it be like to follow a Bible reading plan or share a prayer practice with your family at meal times?

P.S. One day I will have a t-shirt made that reads, ‘Breakfast is ready’ – Jesus

Any other takers? ;)