March 2010 Archives

A Good Read for the Lent and Easter Season

Published on March 15, 2010 by Amy Merrill (IAM Readers Guild, OKC)

When analyzing Robert Farrar Capon's The Supper of the Lamb, it is explicitly clear how he feels about food.  For Capon, food is a way to connect to the divine.   Every day items are propelled to the realm of extraordinary, not by our own doing, but by the creativity of the One who made us.  Society is so accustomed to instant gratification that dexterous traditions are falling prey to the machine of convenience.  Cookery, as Capon advocates, should form a deeper connection with God and the earth, and express the joy of creativity.  As Capon states,  "How much better a world it becomes when you see Him creating at all times and at every time; when you see that the preserving of the old in being is just as much creation as the bringing of the new out of nothing."  God is concerned for our spiritual and physical well-beings, and that love and care is manifested in nature.  His storehouse allows us to rejuvenate our whole person - mind, body, and soul.   

Our group particularly enjoyed Capon's philosophy on food as being an every meal communion.  When the Lord's Supper comes to mind, feelings of gratefulness and fulfillment are a natural part of the ceremony.  Not only does food physically nourish our bodies, but it also reminds us that He has provided a memorial for His death and resurrection, and a fuel to continue His work.  When we share food, we are giving of ourselves and making a connection with our guests.  Fulfilling an essential need of humanity is a way to share Christ’s love.  Intimacy, memory, and spirituality are closely affiliated with the cooking experience; preparing food initiates dialogue between us and the Father and our community.                

This reading selection is appropriate for the Lent and Easter season, because the book serves to remind us of why we break bread and drink wine.  A simple meal transforms into something sacred and becomes the foundation of our faith.  Christ dined with the counter-culture, not with the socially acceptable, and built a bridge from a pantry.     

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