God, Man and Food

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    Although I believe that all the senses bring us closer together both culturally and spiritually, I am incredibly biased toward Taste. Taste is one of the few senses that fulfills not only mental needs but also physical needs. Our body requires nutrients and nourishment from the food that we ingest; in doing so, we can feed the body and the soul. The ability to unify through the power of food is truly a fantastic experience.  It's like the common saying goes, "the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach." 

   Some of my fondest memories involve food, and I'm sure most people would agree. A lot more than just the food itself but even the process of making it holds deep meaning for us, religious or not. Making food with friends or family enriches the food with a lot more than nutrients. One of the common questions asked to get to know each other is "favorite food?". It's the one common ground that we all share, not just humans. In 

Religion in the Kitchen: Cooking, Talking, and the Making of Black Atlantic Traditions by Elizabeth Perez, we learn that within the kitchen of Ilé Laryoe we learn that each Ocha has a preference for the food they want to be prepared for them for Ochún (Pérez 69-70). They have a preference for food and require specific instructions on how they should be prepared and garnished. In this, preparing the meals feeds spirituality, but it also allows for a sense of connection with their gods in knowing they enjoy the same meals we may eat ourselves. Rachel Fulton even touches upon taste with Christianity in her writings in " “Taste and see that the Lord is sweet” (Ps. 33:9): The Flavor of God in the Monastic West*.". 
Pope francis holding a big communion wafer
 During Communion, we put the wafer representing the body of Christ and let it sit on our tongues, "tasting" the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross. We sip the wine representing the blood of Jesus, letting it sit in our mouths for a bit for the same reason as the previous step. By doing this, you develop a connection with Jesus in acknowledging the sacrifices he made for the sake of our "sins." Not only this, but many other religions also have similar characteristics of food. Specifically, the taste is an essential factor for many rituals. 

A connection to spirituality being made possible simply through food and taste. 


Comments

  1. Dan HadelmanMay 10, 2022 at 8:33 AM

    I agree. I've only recently become a foodie, but I honestly believe that food is one of the few languages that we all share. I've certainly had my share of communal food events that gifted me a sense of acceptance. But also, I've seen just how taste plays a role in religious rituals as a sort of sacrament. What we taste is how he we were taught to taste and when done in a religious context, we add faith into that equation. Faith for ourselves, from our food, and the people serving it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sarah McGrailMay 12, 2022 at 2:38 PM

    Getting to cook and make food for my loved ones is one of my greatest joys in life.

    ReplyDelete

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