I have a lot of resistance to Christian concepts so I often spend some time thinking about them and reading the bible to try to understand them.
I especially had a problem with the concepts of sin and punishment. Today, the day after Thanksgiving where I often took license to eat lots of foods that might not be good for me, I read that the greek translation of Communion is “thanksgiving.”
I grew up in a Catholic family and have an Episcopal wife so I’ve been to a lot of them. I’m kind of a confused agnostic longing to believe in Jesus so when I went to communion with my family or my wife it meant nothing to me. I sometimes joined my wife in it hoping I’d feel something, but I never did.
A few months ago I had a private communion where a priest from an order of Christian Mysticism explained the symbolic and energetic power of the ceremony and I was deeply moved.
So recently I made a commitment to try to bring spirituality into my meals. I want to do it because I have Adrenal Fatigue and the only real treatment is diet and I’m not on my food plan. Thus I’m not feeling great. Really all I’ve done is talking to a friend about the spirituality idea regularly but not doing anything during meals.
This morning in my prayer time I thought about the two commandments Jesus said to obey: Love God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself. I’ve always hated the word “sinner” but today I saw I was “sinning” against myself when I eat harmful foods. I am not loving myself.
In each meal I am conceptually taking in the body and blood of the Creator, the food and liquids that nourish me. And in a way my “punishment” has been fatigue, moodiness and weight gain.
It is a powerful concept to think that with each bite or sip I am bringing God into my body and each meal can be a communion, a thankfulness for the food that nourishes me.
When I did this private communion there was an altar with candles and a feeling of sacredness. Sometimes as a child at Thanksgiving we used to set a table and light candles. I eat on the run most of the time. To be more mindful today I can set the altar of the table, light a candle and say a prayer before I eat.
Filed under: Uncategorized
