Nourishment

 Thank you for continuing on this Lenten journey with me. I appreciate you being here and I hope you are finding something that speaks to you.

What do I need? What do I want? What do I feel? All of these questions are important to ask ourselves and our children, our spouses, and our friends. We find deep connection when we ask them. 

But for today I want to pose another question: What do I eat? Part of Lenten rituals regards abstaining from certain foods on Ash Wednesday, Fridays, and the Easter Triduum, the 3 days leading up to Easter. Some people think this is nonsense, that what we eat shouldn't be a sacrifice. I remember a teacher in high school saying that the fishermen in Ireland wanted the Pope to make meatless Fridays because they wanted to increase the fishing industry in Ireland. I have no idea if that's true, but maybe? In our house, we try not to cook fresh meat, we sometimes order pizzas (which is not a sacrifice at all, haha), but lately we've just been eating leftovers, whatever's in the fridge. This week we had a salad made from the cabbages and kale growing in the garden. Grilled in a little olive oil and salt, pepper, and garlic, along with some chunky grilled croutons, it made quite a hearty (hardy?) meal. 

Anyway, this one way of being more intentional in our lives is a good way to gain focus and inward reflection. What do we eat? What do we need? How do we take care of our bodies? How do we sustain ourselves and our loved ones? How can I cleanse my body with some nutritious healthy food? Hot water with lemon, oatmeal with cinnamon, freshly baked bread with honey, pita and hummus, lettuces with olive oil and vinegar, rice with ginger and soy sauce. Sometimes it is the simplest things that bring us true nourishment. 

Today I invite you to look around your kitchen and think about what nourishes you. Maybe it's the food, but it's also the rituals around the food. Do you have a candle you can light while you cook? Can you put on some fun music? Do you have some fresh flowers or branches you can put in a vase to brighten your table space? Enjoy the meal and enjoy the meal preparation. It sustains us and it's a gift from God. We pray, "Bless us O Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive, from thy bounty, through Christ Our Lord. Amen." 

*This is a little book Annie got years ago - it sits in my bathroom so I can read short snippets...