Theology of Food
Food, writes Norman Wirzba in one of the essays, "reveals what we believe and value about people, things, bodies, traditions, time, money, and places." Eating, he reminds us, "is the most fundamental way in which we connect our lives with others."
Take a look - the editors and authors truly give us a lot to chew on!
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The Taste of Blessing
Each day begins with a blessing. Today, it was raspberries: firm and juicy, both sweet and tart.
Old Testament scholar Thomas W. Mann,* citing Psalm 104, writes, "Food is the primary manifestation of God's grace." The psalmist praises God, who makes "the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for people to use, to bring forth food from the earth, and wine to gladden the human heart, oil to make the face shine, and bread to strengthen the human heart."
Mann goes on to say, "Food is the most essential component of God's blessing, the gift of God as creator to all creatures." He then adds, "Enjoying ordinary food - its taste, smell, and feel, in addition to its nourishment - is the most primitive form of gratitude, and of worship."
Each day begins with a blessing, a taste of God in each bite. Yet how seldom we savor this blessing. In our fast-food society, eating is often treated with no more sacredness than a stop at the gas pump. We grab and go, grab and go, without savoring the tastes and smells, without acknowledging the cattle or the wheatfields that sustain us, without offering our appreciation to the faceless farm workers and produce-handlers who bring us God's blessing, each day.
Each day begins with a blessing. Today, it was raspberries: firm and juicy, both sweet and tart. Yesterday, we ate steak, leftovers of a wonderful anniversary dinner. Tomorrow, we will be blessed again.
*Thomas W. Mann, "Not by Word Alone: Food in the Hebrew Bible," Interpretation 67/4 (October 2013): 351-362 (here 351-353; emphasis his).
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Rants and Raves
For most of the last month, including while away on two trips, I've eaten only fresh 'clean' food (no added chemicals, preservatives, etc.) as I usually do and have felt great as I usually do. Last week, however, I made a big mistake in getting a chicken sandwich from a popular drive-through and within an hour had back pain, leg cramps, and tingling. Those chemicals they put in fast food are worse than toxic. I'm tellin' ya.
After hearing all the hype about Burger King's new Satisfries, I went to the McDonald's website to check out their fries - 17 ingredients - chemicals. About those BK's Satisfries which took 2 years to develop - God created the potato in 1 day. Just sayin.....
Recently during our drive out of town we stopped for lunch along the way, thinking that a nice tall freshly brewed ice tea from the "Subway -- eat fresh, live green" store would be a healthy choice. Nope. My "fresh-brewed ice tea was a mixture of 15 ingredients including chemicals. Whatever happened to tea leaves and hot water?
Lest I appear the unctuous foodie purist, let me say I believe I have cause to be concerned. Even Benedict of Nursia (d.547) wrote in the Rule of Benedict [Ch. 39] and Ignatius of Loyola (d.1556) in the Spiritual Exercises [210-217], admonitions on proper food and eating habits. Surely if they lived today they would add "clean foods" (chemical-, preservative-, additive- free foods) to the rules for healthy living.
Then . . . like out of nowhere, Wednesday morning, our friend Louise appeared at our front door with a delicious homemade, from scratch, fresh coconut cake to celebrate our ninth anniversary! What a blessing! She made me appreciate all over again the goodness of food and the goodness of gift. Each delightful bite of my favorite dessert (and she knew it was a favorite) certainly increased my appreciation for food freshly prepared and friendships well preserved. Pure joy.
--by Jan
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