Lent is well underway now. The people who were confident giving up chocolate a week ago are now over the novelty of it. A couple of gluten-free lactose-free people are still trying to think of something else to not eat. Someone in the office has started smoking again ironically after a year of abstinence. The swear box is quietly filling up. Fasting and abstinence are massive and important themes in most religions, notably for Christians in Lent, and in of particular interest in Carmel. I will look at them next week.
A few years ago someone told me they were trying to do something extra, or more, or better, or something like that. There has always been fasting in Lent, so this story may seem a bit odd, but I am making a cake every week for Lent.
I have accepted a challenge to make a cake for vegetarians, gluten free and lactose free people to eat together. Normally they can't share food at a tea break the way other people can. Already after two weeks we have all learned a lot about cooking and each other.
This week it was lychee cheesecake. I opened a tin of lychees and thickened the juice with xantham gum and arrowroot and a little bit of jelly and blended it all with the lactose free cream cheese. Someone is intolerant of yeast, so no yoghurt. One of the group can't eat the normal gluten free biscuits (no idea why) but I was relieved to find another to make the base for the cake. I am a dreadful biscuit maker. It all worked. The thing baked ok. It turned slightly golden, and when it had been an age in the fridge, it was perfectly firm.
They liked it. But really why they liked it was for the memories that came flooding back with the flavour. We started sharing our stories of fruit, and fruit trees, childhood and summer days. It was surprising and really moving.
It took me three days to get the ingredients, work out how to adapt the recipe and make the cake. I had to overcome my fears of failure and the fear of their disappointment if it didn't work. And it was more than fine. It was good in lots of ways. But I have to come up with something else for next week. The challenge begins again.
If you are curious, it is going to be a gluten free, lactose free, vegetarian trifle, with no alcohol.
There has to be a reason why more and more people are suffering severely from the food we eat. Is the food really healthy? What are the processes from seed or seed modification to planting to harvest that our food goes through? What fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, growth hormones and other things are involved in our food chains?
Where is the unease? The disease? Where does that leave us?
Beautifully, while I am writing this, I hear the voice of Lisa Kim (because I left youtube running after choosing the hymn for this piece):
'Meditate the Word, chew the Word of the Lord.'
What can I say?
It is a joy to see people relax together, begin to know and trust each other, and share the meal and the time. Don't give up joy. We all need it.
This Lent hymn reminds me to balance my Lenten priorities:
'Feasting with friends, Fasting alone... Love only love is the way.'
There are lots of things we can do privately for Lent, but I reckon its ok to make the cakes and share the joy, not from a sense of gluttony or of disrespect, but out of love.
Lisa Kim's talk is added below. Her talk is wide-ranging and interesting, though at the beginning it is shocking as she describes how the word of the Lord is illegal in her home country of Korea. How high a price some people pay to hold and open a Bible. Her references to the word of the Lord as food (like good honey) begin around 10 mins and then get going at 16 minutes, and really made me smile with the joy and the coincidence.
If there is one thing we should really not give up in Lent, it is the Word. Read, hear, hold, taste the Word, like the best honey.
Blessed are you Lord
Teach me your Law
Lord anoint my lips to speak your Word
Turn my eyes from worthless things
I want to rejoice in your testimonies
I want to meditate, dwell, rest in your Word
Fix my eyes on your ways
I will delight in your Word
I will not forget your Word
from Lisa Kim's words around psalm 119
Taize - C'est toi ma lampe Seigneur, Mon Dieu éclaire ma tenebre , Seigneur mon Dieu éclaire ma tenebre/
You are my lamp Lord, My God Light up my darkness.
YOU ARE READING
Carmel Reflections
SpiritualEver wonder what it's all about? I need to try and work it out. I'll just begin with the deer. This is about what and who and where strength comes from.
