Day 17: A Trinitarian Twist

A Message from Pastor Ron: What I love about making pretzels is the whole notion and motion of getting one’s hands into the dough. At one point in the process of stirring things up you just have to put down your “spoon” and get your hands moving. I have found that many people don’t have the opportunity to bake these days. (Father Dominic Garramone is a priest and monk of Saint Bede Abbey in Peru, Illinois, and the author of "Bake and Be Blessed" - a text that uses bread baking as a metaphor for spiritual growth. Father Dom has graciously shared his recipe for soft pretzels with us - click here to download.)

There is a great sense of accomplishment when one takes some flour, water, salt, yeast, milk and after some rigorous stirring and kneading there is a handful of dough. This dough then needs (no pun intended) to be in such a way as to make a “snake” about 18 inches long. Once this is down you just “twist” it in such a way as to make the shape of the pretzel. The pretzel has three “holes” in it and each one represents a member of the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

I believe that God is often found in the “holes” of life. It is often precisely in the very moment when we don’t see what or who we are looking for there is the realization that the Holy is present and accounted for.

Day 17. Dollar 17. Pound 17. Blessings on your baking today.