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)
I would like to say something more on human hands. The hands of men are quite different from that of other animals. Chimpanzee and gorilla are known for their close resemblance with men and they have great strength in their hands but they can not be compared with the strength, multifunction and versatility of human hands. If they hold a baseball bat, human holds it by separating the thumb and other fingers but a chimpanzee holds it with all the fingers in same direction. This is the big difference; men can grip a bat correctly and firmly but a chimpanzee can not. The gap of difference between man and chimpanzee becomes even bigger as we study more and more about them.
Nowadays there are some zoologists who treat a chimpanzee or a gorilla or an orangutan as their family. They become friends of the wild animals. They protect them from the hands of a poacher as they study them. When they pour out their affection for a long time there developed mutual trust between them. Men learn their language and teach them men’s language.
However, I have never heard teaching them how to play the piano. Probably it will be impossible. Besides music experience involves delicate motion which is impossible for them. I neither heard that they taught them how to sew. It is clear that their hands are not skillful enough to sew clothes.
The hand is the most important gift of God, which make human beings a unique creation. Just as the hands of Jesus that broke “Five loaves and two fish”, our hands also may be used in such precious work. It would begin by sharing of a meal together.
Showing posts with label Mark 06:41. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mark 06:41. Show all posts
20100511
Five loaves and two fish (29)
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)
In the preceding meditation, I mentioned that the hand of man is none other than the hand of God. Here the hand of man signifies the real hand while the hand of God is the instrument accompanied with the hand. However, it is clear that hand is the most important tool in creating a man materializing the plan of God.
Generally, the closest anthropoid is Homo sapiens (a man of thinking) and Homo erectus (pithecanthrope) is the next older and Homo Habillies(a man of using tool) is the oldest of the three. Recently some confusion has occurred in this a chronicle because of finding of Homo Habilllies who had lived in the next generation of Homo erectus. Whatever the order may be, it is clear that we see the character of human as thinking, standing, walking and using a tool.
Homo Habillies used a tool with his hand. It is a deceptive cause to go ahead in a competition with other animals. When they wanted to use their hand freely then definitely they should walk with two feet. They could use their hands even though it was not meant for standing straight. At this point there is high possibility that Homo Habillies was in the contemporary of Homo erectus.
Today we are also receiving such Homo Habillies’ genetic effects. It means the blood of the ancient anthropoid that made a tool with their hand 18 billionaires ago is flooding to us. Our descendants also may live by using this hand. They may make a spaceship with this hand and migrate somewhere else inhabitable in universe. After all, there is not other important hand than Jesus’ hand which breaks the loaves. I hope our hands also busy in breaking loaves in this manner.
In the preceding meditation, I mentioned that the hand of man is none other than the hand of God. Here the hand of man signifies the real hand while the hand of God is the instrument accompanied with the hand. However, it is clear that hand is the most important tool in creating a man materializing the plan of God.
Generally, the closest anthropoid is Homo sapiens (a man of thinking) and Homo erectus (pithecanthrope) is the next older and Homo Habillies(a man of using tool) is the oldest of the three. Recently some confusion has occurred in this a chronicle because of finding of Homo Habilllies who had lived in the next generation of Homo erectus. Whatever the order may be, it is clear that we see the character of human as thinking, standing, walking and using a tool.
Homo Habillies used a tool with his hand. It is a deceptive cause to go ahead in a competition with other animals. When they wanted to use their hand freely then definitely they should walk with two feet. They could use their hands even though it was not meant for standing straight. At this point there is high possibility that Homo Habillies was in the contemporary of Homo erectus.
Today we are also receiving such Homo Habillies’ genetic effects. It means the blood of the ancient anthropoid that made a tool with their hand 18 billionaires ago is flooding to us. Our descendants also may live by using this hand. They may make a spaceship with this hand and migrate somewhere else inhabitable in universe. After all, there is not other important hand than Jesus’ hand which breaks the loaves. I hope our hands also busy in breaking loaves in this manner.
20100417
Five loaves and two fish (28)
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)
Jesus ‘broke’ the loaves and gave them to his disciples to set before the people. It is a very simple action if we see it externally. Jesus probably held the loaves as he was getting ready to break them. If Jesus was not a left-handed he must have taken hold of it with his left hand and broke it with his right hand. Now the loaves handed over from Jesus’ hand to the hand of the disciples and they were again handed over to the hands of the people. It is a simple act of transfer of food from one hand to other hands one after another and it eventually solves the problem of hunger of the people and this further leads them to the stream of salvation.
The hand of people is a decisive instrument to actualize God’s salvation on earth. We arrange something to eat on the earth by this hand. The hand to cook something to eat in the kitchen is the power of salvation. We make a car with hand and do the farming with it. See the hand of a surgeon. Their hands save people’s life. Look at the hands of pianist and artists. And look at the hand of a poet who holds pen and writes a poem. Look at the hand of a pastor who prepares a sermon by tapping at the computer keyboard. The hand of man is the hand of God.
There is a scene in “The Creator”, the painting of Michelangelo that God breathed life into Adam. It is the scene that Adam who was not bestowed a soul, formed out of dust was positioned below and God who was breathing soul to him was positioned above facing each other. The center of this picture is the work of hands. God was breathing not the way of the laying on of hands but the way of breathing. Michelangelo, a scientist and artist who works by hand might feel God’s inspiration in his hand first before head. Yes. The hand of man is none other than God’s hand.
Jesus ‘broke’ the loaves and gave them to his disciples to set before the people. It is a very simple action if we see it externally. Jesus probably held the loaves as he was getting ready to break them. If Jesus was not a left-handed he must have taken hold of it with his left hand and broke it with his right hand. Now the loaves handed over from Jesus’ hand to the hand of the disciples and they were again handed over to the hands of the people. It is a simple act of transfer of food from one hand to other hands one after another and it eventually solves the problem of hunger of the people and this further leads them to the stream of salvation.
The hand of people is a decisive instrument to actualize God’s salvation on earth. We arrange something to eat on the earth by this hand. The hand to cook something to eat in the kitchen is the power of salvation. We make a car with hand and do the farming with it. See the hand of a surgeon. Their hands save people’s life. Look at the hands of pianist and artists. And look at the hand of a poet who holds pen and writes a poem. Look at the hand of a pastor who prepares a sermon by tapping at the computer keyboard. The hand of man is the hand of God.
There is a scene in “The Creator”, the painting of Michelangelo that God breathed life into Adam. It is the scene that Adam who was not bestowed a soul, formed out of dust was positioned below and God who was breathing soul to him was positioned above facing each other. The center of this picture is the work of hands. God was breathing not the way of the laying on of hands but the way of breathing. Michelangelo, a scientist and artist who works by hand might feel God’s inspiration in his hand first before head. Yes. The hand of man is none other than God’s hand.
Five loaves and two fish (27)
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)
I would like to meditate John 1:14 that I quoted yesterday. According to John, incarnated Jesus’ glory is the glory of the only son of God. What does it mean? Is it Jesus’ glory? Jesus lived on earth with the same limitations and condition like each of us. Most of the time the Bible depicts somebody with messianic and supernatural power according to the belief of the early Christian community but we have to consider the fact of the historical background. He ate, excreted, caught cold, felt lonely and was even joyful at times like us. Then what is the glory that was revealed to him?
John’s gospel described it as the glory that revealed to the only son of God. It doesn’t mean that God bear a son like man. It is a sort of religious metaphor to point out the one who has the same true nature with God, though he is not God himself. It means that the glory of the only son is exactly the glory of God himself. According to this logic, Jesus’ glory is no other than God’s glory.
At last, we came back to the term of ‘glory’ again. Glory is a theological term which is applicable to the creator only. We cannot describe it in detail. The creature cannot recognize the creator directly but glorify him alone. We can put in this way; the power of creation is, that is to say, glory. According to John verse 1:3, logos is the very power of creation.
We can say that Jesus’ ‘Five loaves and two fish’ points out the power of the creator. He broke himself and gave it to us as he broke ‘Five loaves and two fish’. Only the creator can give us life.
I would like to meditate John 1:14 that I quoted yesterday. According to John, incarnated Jesus’ glory is the glory of the only son of God. What does it mean? Is it Jesus’ glory? Jesus lived on earth with the same limitations and condition like each of us. Most of the time the Bible depicts somebody with messianic and supernatural power according to the belief of the early Christian community but we have to consider the fact of the historical background. He ate, excreted, caught cold, felt lonely and was even joyful at times like us. Then what is the glory that was revealed to him?
John’s gospel described it as the glory that revealed to the only son of God. It doesn’t mean that God bear a son like man. It is a sort of religious metaphor to point out the one who has the same true nature with God, though he is not God himself. It means that the glory of the only son is exactly the glory of God himself. According to this logic, Jesus’ glory is no other than God’s glory.
At last, we came back to the term of ‘glory’ again. Glory is a theological term which is applicable to the creator only. We cannot describe it in detail. The creature cannot recognize the creator directly but glorify him alone. We can put in this way; the power of creation is, that is to say, glory. According to John verse 1:3, logos is the very power of creation.
We can say that Jesus’ ‘Five loaves and two fish’ points out the power of the creator. He broke himself and gave it to us as he broke ‘Five loaves and two fish’. Only the creator can give us life.
20100414
Five loaves and two fish (26)
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)
John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Here ‘the word’ is a translation of the Greek ‘Logos’ which means language or reason. The philosophical term of the Greek has been accepted as a divine meaning.
In early Christianity era, Neo-Platonism of the Hellenistic philosophy blossomed and Plato took an active part in it. There was dualism in the center of this idea. They thought soul and flesh are of different entities. Soul is sacred while flesh is ugly. Soul is eternal but flesh is temporal. Soul of human is also eternal. So they thought the soul of human that is believed to be the essence of eternal life was not created. On the contrary, according to Christian faith the soul of human was created by God.
In addition, the early Christian fathers were deeply influenced by Greek philosophy, especially the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle and they did not give up the tradition of the Old Testaments. The most glaring example is the concept of incarnation. Augustine said that the Plato’s philosophy is most similar to Christian faith except incarnation. The belief on the theory of incarnation of the theological concept is the point of distinction between Plato’s philosophy and Christian faith.
The concept of incarnation that underscores the transformation of the body from the invisible and eternal God to a visible and temporal human body is not compatible with Plato’s philosophy. Yes. Not even a moment the body in Christian belief was neglected. The body requires “Five loaves and two fish”. Jesus was in humanly body which was broken and gave it to us. This is certainly a clear indication of the gift of salvation that Christians believe and talk about.
John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Here ‘the word’ is a translation of the Greek ‘Logos’ which means language or reason. The philosophical term of the Greek has been accepted as a divine meaning.
In early Christianity era, Neo-Platonism of the Hellenistic philosophy blossomed and Plato took an active part in it. There was dualism in the center of this idea. They thought soul and flesh are of different entities. Soul is sacred while flesh is ugly. Soul is eternal but flesh is temporal. Soul of human is also eternal. So they thought the soul of human that is believed to be the essence of eternal life was not created. On the contrary, according to Christian faith the soul of human was created by God.
In addition, the early Christian fathers were deeply influenced by Greek philosophy, especially the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle and they did not give up the tradition of the Old Testaments. The most glaring example is the concept of incarnation. Augustine said that the Plato’s philosophy is most similar to Christian faith except incarnation. The belief on the theory of incarnation of the theological concept is the point of distinction between Plato’s philosophy and Christian faith.
The concept of incarnation that underscores the transformation of the body from the invisible and eternal God to a visible and temporal human body is not compatible with Plato’s philosophy. Yes. Not even a moment the body in Christian belief was neglected. The body requires “Five loaves and two fish”. Jesus was in humanly body which was broken and gave it to us. This is certainly a clear indication of the gift of salvation that Christians believe and talk about.
Five loaves and two fish (25)
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)
I mentioned in the preceding meditation that we should not miss two levels of report and interpretation. As we see in this point of view, the expression of breaking the bread and giving it to his disciples is the interpretation of the Bible author in keeping with the conduct of Holy Communion service. As time goes by the religious tradition in which the “Five loaves and two fish” are involved with are handed down through many people of the world. “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body."(Mark 14:22) It indicates that the “Five loaves and two fish” and Eucharist raised fusion of horizons with the verbs “broke and gave”.
We often hear that Jesus gave himself up for us all but we do not feel it in our real lives. We think of it as a messianic role in which Jesus had to be crucified to take up my sin. It is not wrong but Christian faith cannot be explained in this manner. The word ‘Jesus broke his body’ is connected with a profound situation.
It is the incarnation. The Word became flesh. The invisible God became the visible one. Jesus is a visible God. He is God with the same body like ours. Here is the tension of Christian faith. Body has its limitations. But God is an unlimited being. It is a contradiction that infinite God has a finite body. Christianity began from this shrouded contradiction. To say in Barth’s way, ‘an impossible possibility’ has happened to Jesus. The confines of God and Men are found in the person of Jesus. At his point, Jesus is the only true God and true Man. He is the true “Five loaves and two fish”.
I mentioned in the preceding meditation that we should not miss two levels of report and interpretation. As we see in this point of view, the expression of breaking the bread and giving it to his disciples is the interpretation of the Bible author in keeping with the conduct of Holy Communion service. As time goes by the religious tradition in which the “Five loaves and two fish” are involved with are handed down through many people of the world. “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body."(Mark 14:22) It indicates that the “Five loaves and two fish” and Eucharist raised fusion of horizons with the verbs “broke and gave”.
We often hear that Jesus gave himself up for us all but we do not feel it in our real lives. We think of it as a messianic role in which Jesus had to be crucified to take up my sin. It is not wrong but Christian faith cannot be explained in this manner. The word ‘Jesus broke his body’ is connected with a profound situation.
It is the incarnation. The Word became flesh. The invisible God became the visible one. Jesus is a visible God. He is God with the same body like ours. Here is the tension of Christian faith. Body has its limitations. But God is an unlimited being. It is a contradiction that infinite God has a finite body. Christianity began from this shrouded contradiction. To say in Barth’s way, ‘an impossible possibility’ has happened to Jesus. The confines of God and Men are found in the person of Jesus. At his point, Jesus is the only true God and true Man. He is the true “Five loaves and two fish”.
20100409
Five loaves and two fish (24)
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)
Breaking the loaves Jesus gave them to the disciples to be distributed to the crowd gathered there. He also divided the two fish among them all. Here are the five loaves. The account of the five loaves and two fish does not explain in detail to show whether Jesus gave the loaves and fish without dividing into halves or three parts. We do not also know whether the disciples distributed the bread and fish to the crowd without dividing them into small pieces. The pieces of bread might not be very big ones. According to the tradition of John’s gospel, this bread and fishes were brought by a child. Why John’s gospel did particularly mentioned about a child that the synoptic never mentions about? It signifies the fact that “Five loaves and two fish” might not be a big food material, as they are prepared for a meal or two of a child. Though the child brought it to the disciples instructed by his father, “Five loaves and two fish” is nothing but a meal of a family. The size of bread might not be bigger than a big dumpling. It is not easy to divide in a small piece for serving the public.
The author of the Bible does not report a certain historical incident in a demonstrative manner. It reports some incredible incidents that had happened to Jesus through memory, tradition and also some theological interpretation. Report and interpretation are the two pillars of the Bible. The Bible is a report one side and interpretation on the other. Report has more factual information while interpretation provides information on events. Despite this apparent differences report and interpretation serve the same purpose. These are complementary to each other. At this point, the story of “Five loaves and two fish” also is a fact on the one hand and an event on the other.
Breaking the loaves Jesus gave them to the disciples to be distributed to the crowd gathered there. He also divided the two fish among them all. Here are the five loaves. The account of the five loaves and two fish does not explain in detail to show whether Jesus gave the loaves and fish without dividing into halves or three parts. We do not also know whether the disciples distributed the bread and fish to the crowd without dividing them into small pieces. The pieces of bread might not be very big ones. According to the tradition of John’s gospel, this bread and fishes were brought by a child. Why John’s gospel did particularly mentioned about a child that the synoptic never mentions about? It signifies the fact that “Five loaves and two fish” might not be a big food material, as they are prepared for a meal or two of a child. Though the child brought it to the disciples instructed by his father, “Five loaves and two fish” is nothing but a meal of a family. The size of bread might not be bigger than a big dumpling. It is not easy to divide in a small piece for serving the public.
The author of the Bible does not report a certain historical incident in a demonstrative manner. It reports some incredible incidents that had happened to Jesus through memory, tradition and also some theological interpretation. Report and interpretation are the two pillars of the Bible. The Bible is a report one side and interpretation on the other. Report has more factual information while interpretation provides information on events. Despite this apparent differences report and interpretation serve the same purpose. These are complementary to each other. At this point, the story of “Five loaves and two fish” also is a fact on the one hand and an event on the other.
20100408
Five loaves and two fish (23)
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)
If Jesus’ resurrection is our real meal as mentioned in the foregoing meditation, then some would say that our daily meal does not have any spiritual connection? No. It is not. The meal we take every day is also an integral part of God’s grace and the meal of life has the same meaning. The only difficulty is that we do not know how to merge the relationship between a real meal and resurrection more precisely. It is our cognitive limitation that we have to bear and also our religious homework to solve.
The best alternative way we can chose now is to accept a meal as a reality of resurrection life. It can be a practice to eat a meal in holiness. We might experience mystery and holiness of life from a bowl of meal. It is, that is to say, identification itself with a meal. We experience a mystery that a meal becomes me and I become a meal. Is it really possible? Generally we think a meal as an instrument to maintain life and so it is not easy to experience such personal identification with it. However, if we open our mind, it can be possible.
A few days ago I had a chance to eat a lunch at my office. When I opened my lunch box there were four side dishes, fried anchovy, cubed radish kimchi, scrambled eggs and boiled vegetable. First I took rice and chewed then it soon taste sweet. I again took a fried anchovy and chewed it well. At that moment, I felt rice and anchovy and I became one. It was a ruptured experience. Is not it an experience to eat a holy meal?
If Jesus’ resurrection is our real meal as mentioned in the foregoing meditation, then some would say that our daily meal does not have any spiritual connection? No. It is not. The meal we take every day is also an integral part of God’s grace and the meal of life has the same meaning. The only difficulty is that we do not know how to merge the relationship between a real meal and resurrection more precisely. It is our cognitive limitation that we have to bear and also our religious homework to solve.
The best alternative way we can chose now is to accept a meal as a reality of resurrection life. It can be a practice to eat a meal in holiness. We might experience mystery and holiness of life from a bowl of meal. It is, that is to say, identification itself with a meal. We experience a mystery that a meal becomes me and I become a meal. Is it really possible? Generally we think a meal as an instrument to maintain life and so it is not easy to experience such personal identification with it. However, if we open our mind, it can be possible.
A few days ago I had a chance to eat a lunch at my office. When I opened my lunch box there were four side dishes, fried anchovy, cubed radish kimchi, scrambled eggs and boiled vegetable. First I took rice and chewed then it soon taste sweet. I again took a fried anchovy and chewed it well. At that moment, I felt rice and anchovy and I became one. It was a ruptured experience. Is not it an experience to eat a holy meal?
20100406
Five loaves and two fish (22)
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)
According to John’s gospel, Jesus is the meal of life. Jesus is quoted as saying, “I am the bread of life. Hew who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35) However, it does not guarantee that we will not be hungry and thirsty despite our belief in Jesus. There are many extremely poor people even among Christians.
The key point here is what life signifies when we say Jesus is the meal of life. Early Christians were hungry and lonely in this world like us today. Such problems are not solved immediately though we believe in Jesus. They experience entirely different level of life from Jesus. The core of this difference is the resurrection. Jesus who has risen from the dead was an eternal and real foundation of life.
Life given by God in this world has no eternity in itself. Man has to die sooner or later though he continues to eat. Man cannot get real satisfaction anywhere in this temporal world. Of course, he may be able to attain peace and satisfaction to some certain extent as he acquires knowledge and get sufficient income to sustain his livelihood, but this satisfaction has its limitation and is not eternal. The temporal short-lived comfort and satisfaction is comparable to the enjoyment of a chronic drug addict whose life style cannot be called the right stream of life.
Now we cannot explain in detail exactly what the eternal life was that the early Christians experienced after their conviction of Jesus’ resurrection. Since the reality of our act on earth will be revealed at the end of the world, we have to patiently wait that particular day. Hence, Christian faith involves patient waiting. Our present life is not an end in itself but a gift from God to prepare for the next life.
.
According to John’s gospel, Jesus is the meal of life. Jesus is quoted as saying, “I am the bread of life. Hew who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35) However, it does not guarantee that we will not be hungry and thirsty despite our belief in Jesus. There are many extremely poor people even among Christians.
The key point here is what life signifies when we say Jesus is the meal of life. Early Christians were hungry and lonely in this world like us today. Such problems are not solved immediately though we believe in Jesus. They experience entirely different level of life from Jesus. The core of this difference is the resurrection. Jesus who has risen from the dead was an eternal and real foundation of life.
Life given by God in this world has no eternity in itself. Man has to die sooner or later though he continues to eat. Man cannot get real satisfaction anywhere in this temporal world. Of course, he may be able to attain peace and satisfaction to some certain extent as he acquires knowledge and get sufficient income to sustain his livelihood, but this satisfaction has its limitation and is not eternal. The temporal short-lived comfort and satisfaction is comparable to the enjoyment of a chronic drug addict whose life style cannot be called the right stream of life.
Now we cannot explain in detail exactly what the eternal life was that the early Christians experienced after their conviction of Jesus’ resurrection. Since the reality of our act on earth will be revealed at the end of the world, we have to patiently wait that particular day. Hence, Christian faith involves patient waiting. Our present life is not an end in itself but a gift from God to prepare for the next life.
.
Five loaves and two fish (21)
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?
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?
20100402
Five loaves and two fish (20)
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)
“To eat and drink” is the core activity of the Passover supper, which was Jesus’ last supper and which we occasionally observe. The administration of the Last Supper entails a unique activity performed in the most religious and urgent manner in the holiest time and occasion.
If we deeply think about the activity of eating and drinking, it is a mysterious phenomenon. Bread and wine enter in to our stomach through our mouth and gullet. A stomach naturally does the secretion of gastric juice and decomposes food through an action of compression and relaxation. The decomposed food is then gets assimilated to human body through the small intestine and the large intestine. The last step is the excretion. The digestive system of man is a little different from that of the animals but the general mechanism of food intake and excretion of waste for the sustenance of life is the same.
We should not miss the point that there is universal requirement of eating and drinking of something. It is something that occurs universally to all living beings. Here the meaning of universality has the direct implication with God’s nature of holiness. The things that we eat and drink are also a medium of connectivity between the Holy God and us.
The religious symbol of sharing of the Eucharist is the conspicuous expression of our connectivity with the Lord Jesus Christ. We the Christians experience the oneness of the body of Christ by sharing small pieces of bread and wine which represent blood and flesh of Jesus. Rather than prayer and praise or hearing the word of God, participation in the Eucharist gives deeper sense of spirituality. Those who have participated in it should treat our daily bread holy like the body of Christ. We have to continually maintain the practice of having a meal in a holy manner.
“To eat and drink” is the core activity of the Passover supper, which was Jesus’ last supper and which we occasionally observe. The administration of the Last Supper entails a unique activity performed in the most religious and urgent manner in the holiest time and occasion.
If we deeply think about the activity of eating and drinking, it is a mysterious phenomenon. Bread and wine enter in to our stomach through our mouth and gullet. A stomach naturally does the secretion of gastric juice and decomposes food through an action of compression and relaxation. The decomposed food is then gets assimilated to human body through the small intestine and the large intestine. The last step is the excretion. The digestive system of man is a little different from that of the animals but the general mechanism of food intake and excretion of waste for the sustenance of life is the same.
We should not miss the point that there is universal requirement of eating and drinking of something. It is something that occurs universally to all living beings. Here the meaning of universality has the direct implication with God’s nature of holiness. The things that we eat and drink are also a medium of connectivity between the Holy God and us.
The religious symbol of sharing of the Eucharist is the conspicuous expression of our connectivity with the Lord Jesus Christ. We the Christians experience the oneness of the body of Christ by sharing small pieces of bread and wine which represent blood and flesh of Jesus. Rather than prayer and praise or hearing the word of God, participation in the Eucharist gives deeper sense of spirituality. Those who have participated in it should treat our daily bread holy like the body of Christ. We have to continually maintain the practice of having a meal in a holy manner.
20100331
Five loaves and two fish (19)
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)
I would like to add some more points on Eucharist that I mentioned in the foregoing meditation. Historically speaking Eucharist was originated from the last supper in which Jesus took the Passover supper with his disciples just before his crucifixion.
Jesus commanded his disciples saying, “"This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." (Luke 22:19) Even Paul also received the same command. (1Co 11:25)
Passover supper, the foundation of Eucharist is the supper that every family of the Israelites who were living as a minor nation in Egypt ate the night before they left Egypt. They killed sheep and sprinkled its blood on the doorframes. It was a mark of passing over of the angel of dead who killed the eldest son of the entire Egyptian family and the eldest animal of the livestock of every family in Egypt. They had to eat the unleavened bread and bitter vegetable with your cloak tucked into your belt. (Exo. 12:11)
At the very day, Israelites experienced the absolute mayhem of life and death. There was wailing from every house of Egyptian neighbor with whom they had lived together for a long time. They had to leave Goshen a place where they used to live in. No one knew what was in store for them as they marched forward to occupy the land of the Canaanites. Relieving from the grip of Pharaoh’s hand in Egypt was a joyful experience of freedom but it was also a great adventure for them. They shared the supper together in such risky moment.
What does it mean by having a supper in the given unfavorable situation and the question of life and death? No wonder, man should continue to eat even if one’s house is in the state of mourning. Even a criminal under sentence of death longs for a delicious meal and a puff of good cigarette. The word “Passover” means the act of passing over of the angel of death on the house the doorframe of which was sprinkled with the blood of the lamb thereby sparing life to the house of the Israelites. Then they might eat bread and drink wine.
I would like to add some more points on Eucharist that I mentioned in the foregoing meditation. Historically speaking Eucharist was originated from the last supper in which Jesus took the Passover supper with his disciples just before his crucifixion.
Jesus commanded his disciples saying, “"This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." (Luke 22:19) Even Paul also received the same command. (1Co 11:25)
Passover supper, the foundation of Eucharist is the supper that every family of the Israelites who were living as a minor nation in Egypt ate the night before they left Egypt. They killed sheep and sprinkled its blood on the doorframes. It was a mark of passing over of the angel of dead who killed the eldest son of the entire Egyptian family and the eldest animal of the livestock of every family in Egypt. They had to eat the unleavened bread and bitter vegetable with your cloak tucked into your belt. (Exo. 12:11)
At the very day, Israelites experienced the absolute mayhem of life and death. There was wailing from every house of Egyptian neighbor with whom they had lived together for a long time. They had to leave Goshen a place where they used to live in. No one knew what was in store for them as they marched forward to occupy the land of the Canaanites. Relieving from the grip of Pharaoh’s hand in Egypt was a joyful experience of freedom but it was also a great adventure for them. They shared the supper together in such risky moment.
What does it mean by having a supper in the given unfavorable situation and the question of life and death? No wonder, man should continue to eat even if one’s house is in the state of mourning. Even a criminal under sentence of death longs for a delicious meal and a puff of good cigarette. The word “Passover” means the act of passing over of the angel of death on the house the doorframe of which was sprinkled with the blood of the lamb thereby sparing life to the house of the Israelites. Then they might eat bread and drink wine.
20100330
Five loaves and two fish (18)
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)
From Heidegger’s explanation about things on earth I could taste the presence of spirituality among the creation. I learned much spiritual insight from Heidegger. The most amazing thing was the power to think of the existence, thought, language and world. At this point, theologians, Natural scientists and the philosophers are good teachers for me. Through them I come to know more precisely how God created world. They are good teachers who precisely explain how God created world.
As I have mentioned in the foregoing meditation, thing is a combination of quadrate according to Heidegger. In Shakespeare’s point of view, thing is a playground of the elves. The entire things found on the earth possess life in the eyes of philosophers and writers. Thing has rather holy power in a holy place. Bread is a combination of earth, heaven, sacred thing and thing to be disposed off. Bread is sublimated to a spiritual reality.
Here the word, ‘spirit’ is a term to indicate the deepest world of existence. It has not identified yet what it is. The Bible also gives an inking only and does not mention explicitly. Christians should understand such context exactly. The biblical terms such as spirit, the Holy Spirit, God, creation, the end etc do not point out a certain fixed reality but a certain ultimate reality which cannot be categorized by our cognition.
The meaning that bread is sublimated into a spiritual reality is to approach thing at the deepest place of existence. Bread is sacred. Bread is God’s flesh. We accept bread as Jesus’ flesh in Eucharist. To make Eucharist as a part of our life is a great a source of salvation.
From Heidegger’s explanation about things on earth I could taste the presence of spirituality among the creation. I learned much spiritual insight from Heidegger. The most amazing thing was the power to think of the existence, thought, language and world. At this point, theologians, Natural scientists and the philosophers are good teachers for me. Through them I come to know more precisely how God created world. They are good teachers who precisely explain how God created world.
As I have mentioned in the foregoing meditation, thing is a combination of quadrate according to Heidegger. In Shakespeare’s point of view, thing is a playground of the elves. The entire things found on the earth possess life in the eyes of philosophers and writers. Thing has rather holy power in a holy place. Bread is a combination of earth, heaven, sacred thing and thing to be disposed off. Bread is sublimated to a spiritual reality.
Here the word, ‘spirit’ is a term to indicate the deepest world of existence. It has not identified yet what it is. The Bible also gives an inking only and does not mention explicitly. Christians should understand such context exactly. The biblical terms such as spirit, the Holy Spirit, God, creation, the end etc do not point out a certain fixed reality but a certain ultimate reality which cannot be categorized by our cognition.
The meaning that bread is sublimated into a spiritual reality is to approach thing at the deepest place of existence. Bread is sacred. Bread is God’s flesh. We accept bread as Jesus’ flesh in Eucharist. To make Eucharist as a part of our life is a great a source of salvation.
20100325
Five loaves and two fish (17)
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)
In order to have better understanding about the connectivity between the “Five loaves and two fish” and heaven as the world would view to penetrate the depth of things, we need to give ear to Heidegger’s explanation about this thing. I quote it as the following:
“An article of a thing can be a cup, a chair, a trail, a tray etc. According to different nature of existence, a tree, a pond, a brook and a mountain exists as a thing. A thing exists every time and takes reification according to their own way and becomes a heron, a roe, a horse and a bull. Thing stays every time and nullifies itself according to their own way and becomes a mirror, a buckle, a book, a painting, a crown and a cross.” (Das Ding 181)
The bread was in the form of wheat just before it came to Jesus. Prior to this particular incidence, the wheat (present bread) was hidden invisibly as a kernel of wheat covered with husk of the wheat. One day it revealed itself to the world in a concrete form exposing to nature of the earth, heaven, rain and carbon. As we eat of this bread, it immediately enters into the stomach and some part of it changes to nutrition to be absorbed by the body to preserve man’s life and other part of it will be changed to waste to be excreted. These may be again take reification in a certain manner.
Heidegger stipulated that thing is an assemblage of the quadrate namely, earth, heaven, sacred things and thing to be extinct. For him this world is a mirror play that is displayed by overlapping of quadrate. It is reflected to a mirror this way or that way. Do not misunderstand. It does not mean that God’s creation in this world is meaningless. Rather it is just the opposite. “Five loaves and two fish” is a unique event of holy creation which is accomplished by a harmonious combination of the quadrate-earth, heaven, sacred things and thing to be extinct.
In order to have better understanding about the connectivity between the “Five loaves and two fish” and heaven as the world would view to penetrate the depth of things, we need to give ear to Heidegger’s explanation about this thing. I quote it as the following:
“An article of a thing can be a cup, a chair, a trail, a tray etc. According to different nature of existence, a tree, a pond, a brook and a mountain exists as a thing. A thing exists every time and takes reification according to their own way and becomes a heron, a roe, a horse and a bull. Thing stays every time and nullifies itself according to their own way and becomes a mirror, a buckle, a book, a painting, a crown and a cross.” (Das Ding 181)
The bread was in the form of wheat just before it came to Jesus. Prior to this particular incidence, the wheat (present bread) was hidden invisibly as a kernel of wheat covered with husk of the wheat. One day it revealed itself to the world in a concrete form exposing to nature of the earth, heaven, rain and carbon. As we eat of this bread, it immediately enters into the stomach and some part of it changes to nutrition to be absorbed by the body to preserve man’s life and other part of it will be changed to waste to be excreted. These may be again take reification in a certain manner.
Heidegger stipulated that thing is an assemblage of the quadrate namely, earth, heaven, sacred things and thing to be extinct. For him this world is a mirror play that is displayed by overlapping of quadrate. It is reflected to a mirror this way or that way. Do not misunderstand. It does not mean that God’s creation in this world is meaningless. Rather it is just the opposite. “Five loaves and two fish” is a unique event of holy creation which is accomplished by a harmonious combination of the quadrate-earth, heaven, sacred things and thing to be extinct.
20100324
Five loaves and two fish (16)
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)
The incident of “Five loaves and two fish” gives a completely new meaning through Jesus who looked up to heaven and gave thanks. Though “Five loaves and two fish” are the mere product of the earth, it is closely interlinked with heaven. From an object bound to the earth it turns out to be an object that has invisibly connected with the limitless heavens. It has all the characteristics of solidity, unique identity of limitation and limitlessness. This visible thing has now gained the invisible power.
Some of you may consider that the above statements are too abstract to understand. They may say so. A lot of the words of expression from Christian faith are abstract and ideal. Abstract is the opposite of concrete concept and ideal is the opposite of reality. We who are familiar with concreteness and actuality as reality usually feel abstract and ideal as unreal.
In fact, there was time when Christianity excessively inclined to abstractness and idealism. It was a sort of faith that they did not care how the world turn out if they could go to heaven by believing Jesus. Because of this dogmatic faith, Christianity was called as the opium. Some scholars criticize that this happened because the fore-fathers accepted Plato’s idealism.
Plato’s concept ignores the practical principle of life in this world but dwells on the world view penetrating into the deeper level of incident of the world. It believes that this world is moving around and not regulated by a certain mechanical principle. The Fathers accepted Plato’s concept because this concept is correspondent with God’s concept of Christianity. I say it again; this idea is not the idea ignoring this world but hermeneutics to see the deeper dimension of the world. It is the hermeneutics that “Five loaves and two fish” is connected with heaven from where the “Five loaves and two fish” came down.
The incident of “Five loaves and two fish” gives a completely new meaning through Jesus who looked up to heaven and gave thanks. Though “Five loaves and two fish” are the mere product of the earth, it is closely interlinked with heaven. From an object bound to the earth it turns out to be an object that has invisibly connected with the limitless heavens. It has all the characteristics of solidity, unique identity of limitation and limitlessness. This visible thing has now gained the invisible power.
Some of you may consider that the above statements are too abstract to understand. They may say so. A lot of the words of expression from Christian faith are abstract and ideal. Abstract is the opposite of concrete concept and ideal is the opposite of reality. We who are familiar with concreteness and actuality as reality usually feel abstract and ideal as unreal.
In fact, there was time when Christianity excessively inclined to abstractness and idealism. It was a sort of faith that they did not care how the world turn out if they could go to heaven by believing Jesus. Because of this dogmatic faith, Christianity was called as the opium. Some scholars criticize that this happened because the fore-fathers accepted Plato’s idealism.
Plato’s concept ignores the practical principle of life in this world but dwells on the world view penetrating into the deeper level of incident of the world. It believes that this world is moving around and not regulated by a certain mechanical principle. The Fathers accepted Plato’s concept because this concept is correspondent with God’s concept of Christianity. I say it again; this idea is not the idea ignoring this world but hermeneutics to see the deeper dimension of the world. It is the hermeneutics that “Five loaves and two fish” is connected with heaven from where the “Five loaves and two fish” came down.
Five loaves and two fish (15)
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)
Taking the “Five loaves and two fish” Jesus looked up to heaven and gave thanks. The heaven is God’s dwelling place and this is also the same place where the ultimate life is in store for us. “Five loaves and two fish” is the most familiar and commonly known topic in our daily life. However, when a man looks up to heaven holding the “Five loaves and two fish” its activity is closely connected to the ultimate life. The communication between a common daily life and the ultimate life is the very Christian Spirituality.
Our daily lives today have become a mere instrument to eat and live. Our 24 hours of thought and activities on earth are normally devoted only to action on how to earn money and lift up our own position. It is not easy to escape from such real world. And it is not proper to avoid the stark reality of this world. It is very clear that whatever we do in this world our action should be reflected to the ultimate life as long as we live as a Christians.
There would be many people who would like to live like that but could not follow it practically. I am also one of such people. It is not easy for me to let the ultimate life be a center of my life, the life in which the Holy Spirit leads. That may show my poor spirituality.
We have to live spiritually as far as possible, irrespective of our capability. It means we have to find out the way to communicate between our “Five loaves and two fish” and heaven where the ultimate life is hidden. What is it specifically?
It is our concentration on God as we pray ceaselessly. All other ways are temporary. When we concentrate on God, we heartily and reverently look up to heaven and pray with “Five loaves and two fish”.
Taking the “Five loaves and two fish” Jesus looked up to heaven and gave thanks. The heaven is God’s dwelling place and this is also the same place where the ultimate life is in store for us. “Five loaves and two fish” is the most familiar and commonly known topic in our daily life. However, when a man looks up to heaven holding the “Five loaves and two fish” its activity is closely connected to the ultimate life. The communication between a common daily life and the ultimate life is the very Christian Spirituality.
Our daily lives today have become a mere instrument to eat and live. Our 24 hours of thought and activities on earth are normally devoted only to action on how to earn money and lift up our own position. It is not easy to escape from such real world. And it is not proper to avoid the stark reality of this world. It is very clear that whatever we do in this world our action should be reflected to the ultimate life as long as we live as a Christians.
There would be many people who would like to live like that but could not follow it practically. I am also one of such people. It is not easy for me to let the ultimate life be a center of my life, the life in which the Holy Spirit leads. That may show my poor spirituality.
We have to live spiritually as far as possible, irrespective of our capability. It means we have to find out the way to communicate between our “Five loaves and two fish” and heaven where the ultimate life is hidden. What is it specifically?
It is our concentration on God as we pray ceaselessly. All other ways are temporary. When we concentrate on God, we heartily and reverently look up to heaven and pray with “Five loaves and two fish”.
Five loaves and two fish (14)
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)
Looking up to heaven, Jesus gave thanks to God. Given the “Five loaves and two fish”, God’s act, at our disposal, why can we not give thanks to God who blesses us with food now and even in the future? To say, the provision of “Five loaves and two fish” as God’s act, would also mean that this is a part of universal incident. Yes. A kernel of rice that looks insignificant is also a universal incident in accordance with God’s will. Those who seriously feel it would certainly give thanks to God.
The weight of our universe in our present life is incessantly getting reduced. Men hardly think about the universe which is far beyond our real world where we have to struggle for our survival. The trend of such thought would be highly fallacious. The entire realities seen before us are basically of universal incident. The Earth itself is a part of the universe. It signifies that the entire things and happenings on the earth are from the universe. I say again, our entire lives including “Five loaves and two fish” are basically parts of universal incidence.
If you feel that such level of understanding is too deep to penetrate, then think about where “Five loaves and two fish” have come from and the place where eat the five loaves and two fish, come from. Obviously it is the earth. Whether it a thing of beauty or a thing of ugliness, everything will turn to the same soil when they perish. The concept of beauty or ugliness is not found in the natural matter such as the soil of the earth which is a part of the universe.
If the “Five loaves and two fish” and we the people who have taken it are a part of universal happening, then holding the “Five loaves and two fish” we aught to look up and give thanks to God, the creator of all things.
Looking up to heaven, Jesus gave thanks to God. Given the “Five loaves and two fish”, God’s act, at our disposal, why can we not give thanks to God who blesses us with food now and even in the future? To say, the provision of “Five loaves and two fish” as God’s act, would also mean that this is a part of universal incident. Yes. A kernel of rice that looks insignificant is also a universal incident in accordance with God’s will. Those who seriously feel it would certainly give thanks to God.
The weight of our universe in our present life is incessantly getting reduced. Men hardly think about the universe which is far beyond our real world where we have to struggle for our survival. The trend of such thought would be highly fallacious. The entire realities seen before us are basically of universal incident. The Earth itself is a part of the universe. It signifies that the entire things and happenings on the earth are from the universe. I say again, our entire lives including “Five loaves and two fish” are basically parts of universal incidence.
If you feel that such level of understanding is too deep to penetrate, then think about where “Five loaves and two fish” have come from and the place where eat the five loaves and two fish, come from. Obviously it is the earth. Whether it a thing of beauty or a thing of ugliness, everything will turn to the same soil when they perish. The concept of beauty or ugliness is not found in the natural matter such as the soil of the earth which is a part of the universe.
If the “Five loaves and two fish” and we the people who have taken it are a part of universal happening, then holding the “Five loaves and two fish” we aught to look up and give thanks to God, the creator of all things.
20100319
Five loaves and two fish (13)
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)
The practical expression of ‘Looking up to heaven’ would mean to outwardly to set one’s mind on the place where God dwells but internally it also means to give one’s mind to an ultimate mystery of life. Five loaves and two fish are more than a mere food material. This implies the mystery of life. Many Christian would know the meaning of mystery of life very well as it often referred to but many cannot fully understand the real meaning it carries.
Now we can maintain our life by eating something. Deeply think about its reason. Why can we not maintain our life if we do not eat? Everybody knows its physiological reason. As chewed food passes to the stomach and to the small intestine and the large intestine, and it changes into a nutriment which is necessary for our bodies. No life on earth can exist or live without having food. Even fungus is not excluded from such natural mechanism. The mode of food intake defers from one living being to another but basically all living things including plants need food in order to maintain their lives. Why should they depend on food for their survival? Is this the right system of life on earth?
According to Jesus’ teaching, we will be like angels at the time of resurrection where there will be no concern for eating and drinking. This teaching talks life the mechanism which is totally different from the life mechanism on earth. We should not consider our present system of life as the only absolute one in life. When we are aware of this fact, we come to know the preciousness of our life today. We come to know how marvelous fact it is to maintain our life by eating something. Those who truly acknowledge the certainty of this fact would look up with a thankful heart before taking the food. This would so happen because even to eat something is a mysterious thing.
The practical expression of ‘Looking up to heaven’ would mean to outwardly to set one’s mind on the place where God dwells but internally it also means to give one’s mind to an ultimate mystery of life. Five loaves and two fish are more than a mere food material. This implies the mystery of life. Many Christian would know the meaning of mystery of life very well as it often referred to but many cannot fully understand the real meaning it carries.
Now we can maintain our life by eating something. Deeply think about its reason. Why can we not maintain our life if we do not eat? Everybody knows its physiological reason. As chewed food passes to the stomach and to the small intestine and the large intestine, and it changes into a nutriment which is necessary for our bodies. No life on earth can exist or live without having food. Even fungus is not excluded from such natural mechanism. The mode of food intake defers from one living being to another but basically all living things including plants need food in order to maintain their lives. Why should they depend on food for their survival? Is this the right system of life on earth?
According to Jesus’ teaching, we will be like angels at the time of resurrection where there will be no concern for eating and drinking. This teaching talks life the mechanism which is totally different from the life mechanism on earth. We should not consider our present system of life as the only absolute one in life. When we are aware of this fact, we come to know the preciousness of our life today. We come to know how marvelous fact it is to maintain our life by eating something. Those who truly acknowledge the certainty of this fact would look up with a thankful heart before taking the food. This would so happen because even to eat something is a mysterious thing.
Five loaves and two fish (12)
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)
Jesus looked up to heaven holding “Five loaves and two fish”. Looking up to heaven is the same as looking up to God. The people of the ancient time thought that God dwells in heaven. In those days, when there were no scientific discoveries of the celestial world, they thought that heaven was a mysterious world. They thought God is in the mysterious space.
When I looked outside from my library, I found that half of my sight is the earth and the other half is the heaven. The earth consists of forest, field, a paddy field, village and mountains. Heaven keeps changing with the passage of time and with the change of the heavenly bodies. It is filled with cluster of clouds or indigo twilight or stars at night. We now roughly know the form of the heavens with the help of the information of space through physics, but the ancient world never knew anything about it. The ancient people did not have the access to heaven and know its information. Thunder, light, rain, meteor and cloud are the absolute celestial objects of mystery.
It would sound rather awkward if we have the notion that the ancient people are unenlightened. In support of this fact there are two reasons. First, the idea about heaven in the Bible concentrates on not heaven itself but more importantly on God. They were meeting God in their limitation of information that they knew. The other point is that our knowledge about space physics is not much better than ancient people. Our knowledge is always relative. Our knowledge seems a little better than our descendants. We cannot make the difference of quantity of knowledge as a criterion of God cognizance. So we also have to live today with a thanks giving heart by looking up to heaven.
Jesus looked up to heaven holding “Five loaves and two fish”. Looking up to heaven is the same as looking up to God. The people of the ancient time thought that God dwells in heaven. In those days, when there were no scientific discoveries of the celestial world, they thought that heaven was a mysterious world. They thought God is in the mysterious space.
When I looked outside from my library, I found that half of my sight is the earth and the other half is the heaven. The earth consists of forest, field, a paddy field, village and mountains. Heaven keeps changing with the passage of time and with the change of the heavenly bodies. It is filled with cluster of clouds or indigo twilight or stars at night. We now roughly know the form of the heavens with the help of the information of space through physics, but the ancient world never knew anything about it. The ancient people did not have the access to heaven and know its information. Thunder, light, rain, meteor and cloud are the absolute celestial objects of mystery.
It would sound rather awkward if we have the notion that the ancient people are unenlightened. In support of this fact there are two reasons. First, the idea about heaven in the Bible concentrates on not heaven itself but more importantly on God. They were meeting God in their limitation of information that they knew. The other point is that our knowledge about space physics is not much better than ancient people. Our knowledge is always relative. Our knowledge seems a little better than our descendants. We cannot make the difference of quantity of knowledge as a criterion of God cognizance. So we also have to live today with a thanks giving heart by looking up to heaven.
20100317
Five loaves and two fish (11)
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)
Jesus took “Five loaves and two fish” and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks. The author keeps silent about the content of the thanksgiving. Was it similar to our normal way of thanks giving to God in prayer when we eat? Following the Jewish custom of prayer before meal, surely Jesus must have prayed, “Praise the Lord Jehovah, the King of the world!” As he continued, he must have prayed, “You made bread from the earth.”
There is no other more sincere prayer than the prayer made before a meal. The first act of a newly born baby is to breathe. A doctor normally beat buttocks of baby to give an impetus to take normal breath as it comes to the world. The baby has to leave the womb and its dependence on the mother in breathing so as to live in this world. After breathing, a baby instinctively sucks mother’s breast for a while. If there is no milk from his mom then a baby should beg for cow’s milk instead. As such, meal is highly essential for the sustenance of our life. Therefore food is also a holy aspect of God’s provision.
Think of an ape-man. They always suffer from the shortage of food. Except sleeping hour, most of their time is spent in preparing and searching for meal. This mode of life is similar with other wild animals. It is not long that we gave up such style of livelihood. Nowadays we give a formal prayer before each meal. Mere formality of prayer could be the result of our shallow understanding about the depth of life and the world. To understand the world in depth is to experience the intimate relation with the God, the creator. The intimate relationship with God heart is found in Jesus’ blessing.
Jesus took “Five loaves and two fish” and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks. The author keeps silent about the content of the thanksgiving. Was it similar to our normal way of thanks giving to God in prayer when we eat? Following the Jewish custom of prayer before meal, surely Jesus must have prayed, “Praise the Lord Jehovah, the King of the world!” As he continued, he must have prayed, “You made bread from the earth.”
There is no other more sincere prayer than the prayer made before a meal. The first act of a newly born baby is to breathe. A doctor normally beat buttocks of baby to give an impetus to take normal breath as it comes to the world. The baby has to leave the womb and its dependence on the mother in breathing so as to live in this world. After breathing, a baby instinctively sucks mother’s breast for a while. If there is no milk from his mom then a baby should beg for cow’s milk instead. As such, meal is highly essential for the sustenance of our life. Therefore food is also a holy aspect of God’s provision.
Think of an ape-man. They always suffer from the shortage of food. Except sleeping hour, most of their time is spent in preparing and searching for meal. This mode of life is similar with other wild animals. It is not long that we gave up such style of livelihood. Nowadays we give a formal prayer before each meal. Mere formality of prayer could be the result of our shallow understanding about the depth of life and the world. To understand the world in depth is to experience the intimate relation with the God, the creator. The intimate relationship with God heart is found in Jesus’ blessing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)