When I say grace before or after eating and am being thankful for having food to eat.
More than this, as well, I am pausing to be thankful that food has flavour, and as human beings we are able to sense this and delight in the experience.
Followers of the Way can describe this as an experience of the presence of God. The promise of Jesus to have life in all it’s fullness. Potential placed before the beginning of time itself and flourishing in the art of cooking and the joy of eating.
Of course, sometimes eating a food is unpleasant. Sometimes people do not have enough to eat. I think we can have faith in the hope that abundance rather than scarcity should be normal, but at the same time witness the frustration that this not everyone’s lived experience. For me this is a lesson in learning knowledge of good and evil, and an encouragement to act. To walk the Way rather than daydream about ideals from a warm kitchen.
And so I pray and give thanks when I eat for all that has died so that we might live.
