Holy Toast?

Just so happens I was writing about the Jewish roots of Eucharist when Marion called to say, "I have a little something for you, okay if I stop by?"

I didn't see the "little something" at first. I was too busy oohing and aahing over the gorgeous loaf of challah she'd tucked into a lovely gift bag. But prompted to look again, I found it -- my very own Holy Toast Visionary Bread Stamper.

We adjourned to my kitchen and followed these easy directions: "Press the stamper into any ordinary slice of bread, toast it, and behold a miracle!"

Behold a miracle? How about this shocker:

Mary didn't appear on the slice of toasted challah, not even after we buttered her up. Nor did she appear on the slice of Jewish rye we used for our next attempt at holy toast.

"I don't suppose you keep white bread in the house," Marion said.

I felt torn between making the Sign of the Cross and muttering Kine-ahora while replying, "Absolutely not!"