The Redemption of Food

Food.

It seems like we obsess over food. I know I do. For all of my adult life, I have been in a love/hate relationship with food. I love to cook. I hate being overweight. I went on diets. I didn’t have time to cook properly, so I bought packaged foods. When I was on food stamps, the first day they came in my kids and I shared a giant meal of steaks and baked potatoes. My children went in and out of dietary phases with me throughout their childhood years. I went in and out of dietary phases as I felt more comfortable or less comfortable with my life. When I felt out of control of my finances, for some reason I would spend money at the grocery store and cook one of those giant steak-and-baked-potato meals. Attempting to become a better person, I tried to act on small convictions: vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian. I tried to treat my physical ailments with food choices: sugar free, gluten free, soda free.

More recently, in an effort (successful, I might add) to lose weight and become healthier and stronger, I went on an almost solid-food-free diet. Two shakes or smoothies*, a couple of “smart” snacks and one actual meal a day – small portions only – along with some heavy duty boot camp style exercise brought me to a manageable weight. I feel good about how my clothes fit. I don’t want to gain back my weight, but I’ve also decided I don’t want to avoid great food anymore.

There has been a lot of talk around diet and the way we use food to connect with one another. Much of this talk has been negative – like using food as a vehicle to social interaction is a bad thing.

It isn’t.

Friends Gather To Enjoy
Good Food & Good Fun

In fact, breaking bread together is one of the oldest ways of connecting with one another. It is a means of communication, of conveying love, and of supporting and nurturing one another. In one of the most famous bread breaking events in history, Jesus, son of Mary, fed over 5,000 people on a hillside. He broke unwritten rules of law by breaking grain to feed his disciples on the Sabbath. He shared meals and drink with the people others loved to hate – tax collectors, sinners, resident aliens, people in other cultures, women, prostitutes. According to some, Jesus "ate his way through the Gospels." There’s the wedding where he made the water into the best wine, the gathering of disciples where Martha flitted about, the dinner in the house of a Pharisee, and the feast at the home of a descriptively short tax collector who climbed a tree just to see Jesus. Finally, Jesus joined with his closest friends, the Apostles, and probably a few more disciples and family to celebrate the Passover meal one last time. When sharing that meal, Jesus literally broke the bread to share it with his followers. In doing so, he invited them to remember him every time they ate. “Whenever you do this,” he said, “remember me.”

In his teachings, Jesus told his disciples that “When I was hungry, you fed me. When I was thirsty, you gave me drink. Whenever you feed the least of these, you are feeding me.” “When two or more are gathered, there I will be also.” Whenever we gather with others to share a meal, we are gathered with Jesus. We need not be in a religious setting; the Christ is with us always. When we break bread together, we invited the best of who we are to connect with the best of who our companions are. We meet as equals, sharing the same food and drink, sitting at the same table. It doesn’t matter if we believe the same things. What matters is that we are sharing a good meal, good conversation, and laughter.

Photo from https://www.pinterest.com/
100acrefriends/old-cook-stoves/

In a not so distant past, the kitchen was the heart of the home. Spirit flowed around the stove, where those who cooked kept a soup pot bubbling and the family gathered to review their days and make plans for future times. Friends were invited to cocktail parties, dances, bonfires, and barbeques. As good food filled the stomach, good Spirit filled the soul.

Recently, as I sat with a close friend over an excellent meal at a wonderful Middle Eastern café next to the local mosque, it occurred to me that too much time has been wasted on worrying about food. Too much of my time was wasted on weighing the bites and assessing the calories. My friend and I began to discuss the idea that perhaps if we simply lived our lives, finding the places where happiness touches our hearts, and sharing those times with others, the calorie content of the food we ate would no longer matter. What if we simply enjoyed our meals, punctuated with forks raised to illustrate points, stopped eating when the holes in our stomachs were filled, and continued the conversation over a good cup of tea? Would we find ourselves sated by the combination of food and friendship?

What if I had a smoothie for lunch not because it’s part of a “nutrition plan,” but because it’s delicious and I feel good about it? Believe me, I can make pretty good smoothies from scratch! I think that letting go of the obsession with food comes with a side effect, at least for me. Once I begin to let go of the need to control food to the point of obsession, it becomes less likely that I will crave the “bad” foods and the giant servings. If I eat good, real food, I no longer crave unnecessary foods. If I enjoy good meals with good friends and relatives, I will so look forward to those times together that I will no longer find the need for the shallower sustenance of unnecessary snacks.

The Reagan Family at Dinner
Image from biggerthanyourhead.net

There is a television show I like to watch sometimes, called "Blue Bloods." It's about a family of New York City police officers and attorneys whose jobs often intersect with one another. My favorite part of this show is the ending, in which the family gathers together with all generations at the dinner table. They begin with prayer that we in my family call "grace;" that is, a thanksgiving for family, the food we eat, and those who prepared that meal. In my family, this grace is an invitation for the Grace of God to be with us, for the Christ, Lord Jesus, to join us at the meal. The family on this show, the Reagans, are people whose integrity and strength are worthy of emulation. The culmination of their trials and troubles around the breaking of bread is a beautiful symbol of something that is passing away in our culture. It is sad to lose this tradition of family, friends, and food. Perhaps, it is a tradition worthy of resurrection.

I look forward to many excellent meals in the future; not just food, but exquisite moments, shared with good people. Bon appetite!

Image from www.anthropologyinpractice.com

*I used Herbalife products to kick off that weight loss. If you're interested, contact my sister Jane Rogers at janerogers6444@gmail.com

A "Christian, and..."

A few days ago, I saw one of those video posts from Buzzfeed. This one had a handful of people who said "I'm a Christian, but I'm not..."

Generally, the idea is that even though these people claim that they ARE Christians, they are NOT any of the things the media tends to present Christianity to be: hateful, judgmental, etc.

Yet, it seems to me that it comes across as judgmental against other Christians.

Not long ago, I was a "Christian But," too. The problem is that I began to realize two things. First, that by differentiating myself from those "other" Christians - the stereotypical "anti-everything-fun" Christians, I was busy judging instead of being the person I was proclaiming myself to be.

This hit home with the Buzzfeed video. Upon reflection, I realized that I am no longer a "Christian But." Here's what I posted to my Facebook page as soon as it hit me:

I think I'm growing out of my "I'm a Christian, but..." phase. I hereby take my stand to reclaim the title "Christian." I am a Christian. I try my best to be the best follower of Jesus that I can be. Spirituality is so much deeper than the title we claim, and so much more satisfying than tossing about epithets and platitudes.

If I've grown out of being a "Christian But," I'm growing into a new phase - I'm a "Christian AND..."

I'm a Christian AND...

I think everyone should be able to marry the person they love.

I'm a Christian AND...

I think there are many ways of coming to God.

I'm a Christian AND...

I believe that God loves everyone.

I'm a Christian AND...

I believe that Jesus invites everyone to the table.

I'm a Christian AND...

I believe there are many ways to follow Christ

I'm a Christian AND...

I believe there are many ways of being spiritual

I'm a Christian AND...

I dance in the moonlight, lift up a mug of mead, hail the Folk (ALL the Folk!), pour libation to the ancestors, Meditate, practice Yoga, and pray every day with the help of my ancestral mothers

I'm a Christian AND

• I believe that Jesus the man was the perfect revelation of the lives we are created to live while on this earth
• I believe that Jesus the Christ is the living reminder that there is more beyond this world that we cannot understand
• I believe that Holy Spirit is the inspiration and the muse for all faith, hope, and love that manifests in this world

I'm a Christian AND

I believe that God is the Process through which all things come into Being;

God Is

One ultimate Truth,

sought by all people

in some way and found

through the spirituality

of individuals and of cultures;

the revelation of scientific discoveries;

the beauty of the rising and setting sun,

the depth of the forests,

the rushing of the rivers,

the grandest colors of the canyons,

and the wondrous detail

of the tiniest living thing;

and most of all,
God is found

through the tenderness of touch,

the gaze of desire,

the wistful smile,

the communion of humanity

in the moment we see

the light of love reflected

in the faces one another.

No, I am longer a "Christian, But..."

From this day forward, I am "Christian, and..."

Deeper Things

Since we began meeting weekly, we’ve been a small handful; well, usually less than a handful, if I’m to be fully honest.  We are a sincere handful, though!  In fact, it is a joy to be able to speak so intimately with those who attend, and I find that including some discussion within my weekly message gives it unexpected life.  It’s no wonder Jesus preferred to have his little band of friends and family sit with him to learn about the deeper things.  And that is what I believe he taught.  Deeper things.  Metaphysical truths.  How to become a more spiritual person.  How to discover, through that spirituality, ways to bring God’s Love into the world.  How to be Love in the midst of oppression, anger, fear, and hate.  Indeed, how to be a Spiritual Warrior.  For, I do think that Jesus was a Spiritual Warrior.

For the past few weeks, we have been discussing ways to become Spiritual Warriors using Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount as recorded in chapter 5 of the New Testament book of Matthew.  Specifically, we have been centering on the list of blessing we call the “Beatitudes.”  I call them the “Be Attitudes.”  You see, one way that I find to interpret this list is as a list of attributes of a Spiritual Warrior.  So far we’ve dealt with “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.,”  ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted..” and“ ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”  If you’re interested in what we had to say, just click on the links.

This coming Sunday, February 15, we will be talking about “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”  We’ll consider:  what is righteousness?  Who are those who hunger, who thirst for this?

Feel free to join us at Red Mountain Park in East Mesa.  We meet at or near the Owl Ramada at 4:00 p.m.  If you can’t make it Sunday, our discussion group meets on the first Monday of the month at the Macayo’s on Baseline and Dobson in Mesa at 6:30 p.m.  Our next meeting will be on March 2.  We’ll be discussing ideas and thoughts about belief in things greater than ourselves.  How do you perceive the universe and the place of humans in that universe?

Blessings to all!

Setting Jesus Free

They moved Jesus.  When he first arrived, they placed him under a roof, behind closed doors.  People came inside to visit him.  They gazed lovingly at his face, reached out gingerly to caress a hand.  Finally, the day came when he could no longer remain sequestered.  There was no hiding, no cowering in fear of attack once he was exposed to the elements.  What kind of life could that be?  For him?  For those who came to visit him, when the doors were locked?

So today, they moved Jesus.  Out from behind the doors of the church, he is available to the community.  He is available to the world.  Though there were many who wanted to keep him to themselves, protected from the wild others who wandered the streets, he is now free of that bondage.  Under the open skies, illuminated in the glory of sunrise and sunset, he can be seen by all.  No more does Jesus belong solely to those who would hide him like a light under a bushel.  No more does he belong to those who fear what others might do to him, or what his presence in the world might reveal.

Now that Jesus is free for all to see – how many more might he set free?

 Bronze Jesus Statue at Gold Canyon United Methodist Church - Inside Narthex

Jesus moving through the air, gently, to be placed near the alcove on the front of the building

Jesus looking over the community of Gold Canyon, Arizona

Doors

A couple of weeks ago, a woman came into the church where I work as Office Manager looking for help.  She explained her problem to the volunteer at the front desk, who called me to see what I could do to help her.  When I approached the window, I could see that the woman was upset.  She wanted to talk to me about a "focus room" that she knew that we had in the church.  She was concerned because her family was trapped in a room beneath her house and the only way they could escape was through this focus room.  You see, the doors only opened into the church.

I listened carefully, and then said, "I'm not sure I know what you mean."  The woman was adamant.  "Yes you do.  I've explained it to you, and I've explained it to her (the volunteer), and it's quite clear."  Of course, it wasn't clear at all.  I thought a moment, then nodded at her.  "Perhaps I can help," I said.  "Why don't you have a seat, and I will see if the pastor is available.  I'm sure if anyone knows about the focus room, he does."  She sat down and waited while I found the pastor.

Of course, the woman needed the kind of help that the church cannot really give.  A listening ear, prayers, and a referral to the kind of help she did need was all we could do.  The pastor spent some time with her, we contacted the husband, and gave him some much needed support.  The day ended, and time went by.  Just another day at the church office...or was it?

I found myself thinking about this woman and her story for days.  As I pondered what she said and the fact that she was in obvious distress and worried about her family kept her on my mind, I realized that there was a truth embedded in the tale that she told.  She believed that her family could only escape their entrapment by passing through doors that would bring them into the church.  In some ways, isn't this a truth?  Isn't the church a focus room, where those who seek come to escape the many things that keep them trapped?

When people come through the doors of the church, they expect that those inside will be able to help them with their troubles, no matter what they are.  Whether they need financial assistance or prayer support, or whether they are seeking answers to their deepest theological questions, the Church is called upon to provide for them.  Whichever way possible, the Church is a Focus Room.

The woman who came to see us a couple of weeks ago never told us what the focus room she talked about was meant to focus on.  I can tell you that the Focus Room called the Church is meant to focus on Jesus.  And in the end, Jesus is the Door.

I realize that once I am commissioned in the UMC and appointed to a church somewhere, I may encounter another woman like the one who stopped by that day.  If I do, I won't be able to pass her off to the Senior Pastor.  I pray that if it happens, I will be able to bring her into the Focus Room and open the Door for her.