At this, the Jews started fighting among themselves: “How can this man serve up his flesh for a meal?” But Jesus didn’t give an inch. “Only insofar as you eat and drink flesh and blood, the flesh and blood of the Son of Man, do you have life within you”.  
(John 6: 52 – 53)

My friend Shannon did her first Ironman triathlon a few years back. She’d been doing triathlons for more than a decade, but this was the first one anywhere near that long. It’s a 2.4km swim, followed by a 100km bike ride, and then a 15km run. She raised more than $20,000 in donations, so the pressure was on – she had to finish, which she did, in 10 hours, with a smile on her face.

I used to do triathlons, too. People always ask triathletes whey they do something that demands so much time and is so physically gruelling. My answer is: It’s exciting to do something really hard with a bunch of other people who are trying to do the same thing. And there are even more people on the sidelines cheering you on. It’s an incredible feeling of camaraderie and community. Shannon’s friends gathered with her the night before for an Italian feast heavy with carbs – essential for triathletes before a race of this magnitude. Our host, Jenny, made baskets full of sourdough bread. Jenny still makes bread from the same starter culture – it’s sort of weird the way bread is alive like that – and we think of Shannon and her amazing race when we eat it.