Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.(Mark 6:41)
What does it mean by eating a meal in holiness? It does not mean to maintain regular prayer before eating nor to categorize some food items as eatable and none eatables as followed by the Israel people in the Old Testament. Some Christians strictly insist on keeping wine and cigarette out of their religious life. They may be pursuing holy life in their own way.
Early Christianity called the believers as ‘saints’ who are a group of holy people. The word ‘holy’ is ‘hagios’(ἅγιος) in Greek, meaning to keep something different from other things. As Christians are distinct from worldly people, there might be some necessity of keeping some food items under categorization as sacred and unsacred. However, according to Jesus’ teaching, many unsacred things come out from inside a man though no unsacred enters into his body through mouth.
The word Christian does not imply that they lead a holy life in all their way of life. It does not also imply that they maintain morality more carefully than any others do. Those who are sincere and exert themselves to maintain moral integrity could do so regardless of their belief in Jesus. The sacred life of Christians comes rather from outside than inside which means the righteousness of Jesus Christ is that shines. Our religious existence is judged only by Jesus Christ.
At this juncture, the question of eating a meal in holiness should also be the outcome of our relationship with Jesus Christ alone. How can we be connected with Jesus in eating?
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