Food And Feasting

Procul dubio singula, quae exhibentur diversis sensibus nostris, singulos sensus delectant. Neque enim vel sonus delectat aspectum, vel color auditum. Cordi autem nostro Dominus et lux est et vox est et odor est et cibus est. Et ideo omnia est, quia nihil horum est. Et ideo nihil est horum, quia horum omnium creator est. Est lumen cordi nostro, cui dicimus: In lumine tuo videbimus lumen. Est sonus cordi nostro cui dicimus: Auditui meo dabis exsultationem et laetitiam. Est odor cordi nostro, de quo dicitur: Christi bonus odor sumus. Si autem cibum quaeritis, quia ieiunastis: Beati qui esuriunt et sitiunt iustitiam. De ipso autem Domino Iesu Christo dictum est, quia factus est nobis iustitia et sapientia. Ecce epulae praeparatae sunt. Iustitia Christus est, nusquam deest; non a coquis praeparatur nobis, nec de transmarinis partibus veluti poma peregrina a negotiatoribus apportatur. Cibus est quem sentit omnis qui sanas fauces habet interioris hominis. Cibus est qui se ipsum commendans ait: Ego sum panis vivus, qui de caelo descendi. Cibus est qui reficit nec deficit; cibus est qui cum sumitur non consumitur; cibus est qui esurientes satiat et integer manet. Cum hinc ad mensas vestras discesseritis, nihil tale manducabitis. Quia ergo ad istas epulas convenistis, bene comedite. Sed cum abieritis, bene digerite. Bene enim manducat et male digerit, qui audit verbum Dei et non facit. Non enim ducit utilem succum, sed crudum ructat indigestione fastidium. Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensi, Sermo XXVIIIa, De verisculo Psalmi CIV, Laetetur cor quarentium Dominum Source: Migne PL 38.183

Without doubt each thing that is exhibited to our senses gives its specific pleasure to a sense, for it is not that sound delights sight or colour hearing. But for our hearts the Lord is light and the voice and the fragrance and the food. And He is all these things because He is none of them, and He is none of them because He is the creator of them all. He is the light for our hearts, to whom we say, 'In your light we shall see light,' and He is the sound for our hearts, to whom we say, 'To my hearing you will give exultation and joy,' and he is a fragrance to our hearts, concerning which it is said, 'We are the good fragrance of Christ.' 1 If you seek food because you have been fasting, 'Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.' 2 And it was said of the Lord Jesus Christ that He has been made justice and wisdom for us. 3 Behold, a feast has been prepared. Christ is justice and there is no lack of Him anywhere. He is not prepared for us by cooks, nor is He brought over the sea by merchants like exotic fruits. He is a food which appeals to everyone who has an inner man that is healthy. He is the food which recommends itself, saying, 'I am the living bread which has come down from heaven.' 4 He is the food which restores and does not perish. He is the food which is taken up and it does not disappear. He is the food that fills the hungry and remains whole. When you depart to your own tables, you will eat nothing like that. Because, then, you have come together for this feast, eat well. But when you go away digest well. For you eat well and digest badly if you hear the word of God and do not do it. If it does not lead to useful deeds, in utter aversion you vomit it out. Saint Augustine of Hippo, from Sermon 28a, On the line of the hundredth and fourth Psalm, 'Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice' 1 Ps 36.9, Ps 51.8, 2 Cor 2.15 2 Mt 5.6 3 1 Cor 1.30 4 Jn 6.51