W.W.J.E. A Culinary Walk of Faith

The Direction of Intention My God, give me the grace to perform this action with you and through love for you. In advance, I offer to you all the good that I will do and accept all the difficulty I may meet therein. St. Ann, Pray for us. St. Francis de Sales, Pray for us

“ Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food” Genesis 1:29

Does Genesis tell us that God intended for us to be vegetarians? –Well……YES! Before the Fall all (humans and animals were to be nourished on the plants of the earth) –After the FALL The Bible is silent about eating meat The first mention of eating meat occurred after the FLOOD – Gen.9

God’s creation was originally intended for sentient beings not to do violence to one another. God intends to restore creation to its original state

Food –Food, Feasts, Banquets – 800 x’s –90 different kinds of food mentioned in the Bible –Not one recipe The Widow of Zarephath and Elijah –Descriptions of Meals Passover – Last Supper Drink Wine x’s –Fermented and unfermented – wine and New wine Beer Milk Water Drunkenness –75 times

The Tree of Knowledge – Gen 1 –Sin enters the body like food does Noah gets Drunk? Gen 9 –More like a peaceful sleep Selling a birthright for a bowl of stew – Jacob and Esau – Gen 25 –Greed and self-gratification

Abram feeds 3 visitors –Hospitality Flowing with Milk and Honey Ex 3 –Great abundance of God –God will provide The Fleshpots of Egypt Excess Manna and Quail – Ex. 16 God Provides

The Prophet Ezekiel and Soup – prophesies the fate of sinful Jerusalem he drives his message home by describing the methods of making a soup. Ex 24 Raven’s Bread feeds Elijah –God provides 1Kings 17 Olive Oil –Food and medicine Ex. 27 and Micah 6

Both social and religious Three Great Feasts - 3 Spring and 3 Fall Spring time – Passover Fall - Rosh Hashanah Preparing and Eating –Males prepared the meat – Sacrifice a portion was reserved for family use –Provisions provided for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow –Families ate together around a common table - rooftop –Invitation was never refused –Special clothing, Special seating Wedding Feasts - Lasted for Days

The Passover Meal

Main meal - Midday with smaller evening meal Primarily Vegetarian –bread, milk, meat (rarely), fish (rarely), figs, raisins, olives, dates, nuts, honey, greens and vegetables. Bread –Baked every day, loaves were small, round and flat about half an inch thick and seven to eight inches wide. –The bread was never cut; it was torn into pieces. –No spoons a piece of bread was used to carry meat and vegetables to the mouth. Spices, Herbs and, Seasonings SALT Mint, Dill, Basil, Cumin, Mustard, Anise, Cinnamon, garlic

Milk – milk of sheep, cows, camels and goats was used to provide drink and to make butter. –Goat's milk cheese was a favorite food. Curds – goats or sheep milk - yoghurt Meat –Sheep or goat's meat was roasted or boiled (as was fish) Sweets: Honey, dried fruit, nuts

Jesus turns water into wine – Jn 2 Jesus fills Peter's net with fish after night without catches – Jn 21 Jesus turns food scraps into meal for 5,000 people Mt 14, Mk 6, Lk 9, Jn 6 Jesus also turns seven bread loaves and few fish into food for 4,000 people Mt 15, Mk 8 Numorous Parables and teachings about food.

Food means dependence –Food gives us life Food indicates our dominion over the earth –We were given what we need to eat – Naturally! Food is for Creativity –Sharing in God’s work – “The work of our hands” Food is for Fellowship Food has always been at the center of Worship

During meals the poor and sinners are restored to health Meals are centers of confrontation and controversy Right behavior at meals – Hospitality Table ministry is a training ground for the disciples – Last Supper At Meals Eyes are open to those who are nourished - Emmaus