Have you ever wondered, why bread and wine?  In order to be physically with us forever, Christ instituted the Eucharist at the Last Supper.  He knew that his time with us was drawing to a close, and that we would need him with us — physically — for all time.  So he chose to make himself present to us through the Sacrament of the Eucharist — through bread and wine.

Of all the things Jesus could have chosen, he selected bread and wine.  Though there are certainly practical reasons for these choices — bread and wine were readily available to people of all classes — there has to be more to it than just practicality.

Think of the primary ingredients to bread and wine, wheat and grapes.  In their raw form, they are simple and unimpressive, yet complete and whole.  Each is certainly useful as is, without any modifications.  But when the wheat becomes bread, it becomes so much more than just wheat.  And when the grapes become wine, they take on a completely different nature, capable of bringing great cheer.

And what do these raw ingredients have to endure to become new?  The wheat is pulverized, smashed, and nearly destroyed.  The grapes are stomped and crushed — they give up all of themselves.   Both of these ingredients are completely destroyed before they rise to new life.  Christ, the innocent Son of God, was scourged, beaten, forced to carry the implement of his death, and finally crucified — but he rose again to become something even greater than we could have ever expected.  He delivers new life to us all.

Do you suppose that bread and wine were chosen only because they were practical and convenient?