The Cross & Cleaver: COMMUNION/EUCHARIST/LORD’S SUPPER…COMMUNAL MEAL

As I stare at the blank page at my laptop’s screen, on the second display I see the news flashes. They tell me there will be no Christmas celebrations this year in Bethlehem. They show me the creche looking like ruins, with a baby on top, wrapped in keffiyeh (look it up) as a reminder. I read and hear about starving people. Then I look at the news outside of the middle east and the world doesn’t seem to be any better. I see religious persecutions (topic on its own, I realise), political arrests and assassinations, belief in particular religion variant’s supremacy, being a predominant narrative in how the society around us is shaping up to be.

It is hard to be hungry, and write about food, in such a setting. Aware of it all, I don’t feel like cooking, and I don’t want to promote any particular take-away establishment over the other. Which got me thinking about the concept of comfort food and of community meals. Both of which I wrote before.

Christian community regularly gathers around “communion” or “Lord’s supper” or “eucharist”. All of these can be deep theological ideas, or/and plain meals contributing to the well-being of a community. The first two evoke the image of people gathered around the table. The third, meaning “thanksgiving”, adds to the depth of the self- understanding of the gathering itself.

Contemporary Canadian Christian community also gathers around Christmas dinners of turkey, or ham, scalloped potatoes, mashed potatoes, buttered brussels sprouts, roast parsnips, and turnips. Not to mention gravy, cranberry sauce alongside sage’n’sausage stuffing. In other words – quite savoury sensations I say. Rich and opulent. Which is not the case for many … far away in the world, and in our own backyards. Which we all know very well. If that were not the case, there would be no Christmas hampers food bank drives.

Regardless of the fare, it is about the people gathered around a table, believing that God calls them to such gathering. Some, like me, believe that all are welcome at that table, regardless of their faith, or moral, or political, or otherwise condition. Some do not – and in my opinion they can go and suck proverbial lemons. I cannot believe and say anything other than all are worthy of God’s unconditional love… all … regardless … period.

The gratitude community is asked to embrace, and practice is in the attitude of the community being gathering, eating, and saying: “thank you God for being Your people and thank you God for having food to eat.”

All right … I got religious and nostalgic here, and this might read more like a rant than a happy reflection, leading to a tasty roast or delicious salad.

So what would people of Hamas/Palestine-Israel war eat? If they were to sit down, in the middle of ruins, thinking of their dead and, perhaps, clutching a gun under their clothes? This time it is not a recipe, it is a suggestion for a human experience:

1) Invite a neighbour over. Someone you are not necessarily friends with. Maybe even someone you do not know. Do so remembering that a “neighbour is a moral, not a geographical, concept.”

2) Acknowledge thinking about the middle east war, name the possibility of people of two opposite sides sitting together, and then serve the following (adapted for local possibilities):

a. Pomegranate (cut in rough chunks, without getting fancy).

b. Figs (dried or fresh – whatever you can afford).

c. Dates.

d. Feta cheese (or Kashkaval, or Halloumi), cut in chunks.

e. Grilled/smoked fish (canned sardines make good alternative)

f. Roast chicken.

g. Toasted pita bread or baguette.

h. Hummus (almost whatever is on sale, except pickle flavour, because that is just wrong).

i. Red kosher wine (such as Manischewitz or Mogen David) or strong mint tea.

j. Open heart and mind willing to listen no matter what …

Once the table is set, and all are seated, begin with: “what is your fondest memory?” followed by “what angers you the most?” Listen, then share, then eat ….

That’s all