Christian Casserole

Learning to feed the body and soul at Mass

10/05/2017

Luke 10:1-12 Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this household.' If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment.

             A kindergarten teacher gave her class a “show and tell” assignment. Each student was instructed to bring in an object to share with the class that represented their religion.  The first student got up in front of the class and said, “My name is Benjamin and I am Jewish, and this is a Star of David.” The second student got up in front of the class and said, “My name is Mary. I am a Catholic and this is a Rosary.” The third student got up in front of the class and said: “My name is Tommy. I am a Methodist, and this is a casserole.”

              I would suggest to you that any of those kindergarten students could have gotten up and held up a casserole dish. Why? Well, because the best way to get people to come to church is to feed them. Food and faith are a fitting combination. Since we are psychosomatic beings, that is, with both a body and a soul, it makes all the sense in the world that we should feed the body and also the soul. In other words, a Christian casserole would be a great symbol for any religion.

               Today’s Scriptures likewise suggest how feeding body and soul are both part of an authentic religious experience. We read in Nehemiah, “Ezra the priest-scribe and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all the people: ‘Today is holy to the Lord your God. Do not be sad and do not weep.’ He said further: ‘Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared; for today is holy to our Lord.” That is, one way the people experienced God’s holiness was by sharing a meal: enjoy both faithful fellowship but also a marvelous meal. Ezra told everyone to bring a casserole to share.

               In the gospel, Jesus tells his disciples to proclaim the Kingdom of God by entering homes and sharing the Good News. He instructs them: “Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment.” By the way, this is my favorite verse in the entire Bible! That’s why I never learned how to cook. But notice again: an authentic religious experience of sharing faith is not supposed to be purely spiritual; it should also be thoroughly bodily. Jesus told his disciples to enjoy casseroles in people’s homes.

                My friends, if I were to ask you to bring an object that represents your religion, what would you bring? Maybe you’d be like little Mary and bring a rosary. Perhaps you’d grab a painting of the Divine Mercy or the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Or you might have a little clear plastic bottle of Holy Water from Lourdes in the shape of the Blessed Mother. Those are all great symbols of faith. But I also hope you’d have the spiritual instincts of little Tommy, who brought a casserole. Why? Well, because feeding and faith always fit together.

                 That’s why the highest and holiest point, the source and summit of Christian life, is the liturgy of the Mass. Every Mass involves a psychosomatic experience that engages both the body and the soul. First, we feed on the Word of Sacred Scripture, and second we are fed by the Sacred Body and Blood of Christ. Listen to how the Catechism describes the Mass: “The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and the works of the apostolate are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it.” It goes on: “For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely, Christ himself” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1325). In other words, the Mass is the center of Christian life, because Christ is the center of the Mass. And it is here we feed body and soul; and it is here, above any other place, that the whole human person is nourished. Now, that’s what I call a “Christian casserole.”

Praised be Jesus Christ!