Sunday, February 1, 2009

An act of communion

Rather, it seems to me that in the countries of the Mediterranean there exists a deep-seated and largely unspoken consensus that eating is one of the most important things we humans do in our lives. As a great anthropologist once told me, it is our single most intimate act, far more intimate than sex because through food we literally re-create ourselves each and every day of our lives. And beyond individual needs, in Mediterranean countries there's a real sense of eating as a social act, a way of communication, of expressing solidarity and relationship. Gathering around the table, literally breaking bread together, is both a symbol of communion and an act of communion in and of itself.

-- Nancy Harmon Jenkins
Introduction, The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook

3 comments:

Kamilla said...

Dont' read further in this comment if you are squeamish about those "women's" medical things.






But, I do find it fascinating that this is the way I am supposed to be eating to both lose weight and possibly avoid a hysterectomy/oophorectomy.

Anonymous said...

I'd like to get over there [the Mediterranean]. Besides the food, great scenery and architecture. Great people, too, I expect.

Fr. Bill said...

And, of course, eating is the tangible way in which Jesus arranged for us to commune with Him, and through Him with one another.

"I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me."

That made Jesus' disciples so squeamish they abandoned Him. And the 12 who remained had to do so on the strength of Jesus' words alone ("To whom shall we go? You have the words of life.") Jesus gave them no explanation on how they were supposed to do what he said they must do.

Until the Last Supper.