Soul food, what is it that draws people to it? It’s nothing more than food right? Alright, I can understand it’s different because it’s not the sort of food we eat every day. For some it’s those iconic dishes like collard greens or fried chicken, others its grandma’s stuffed cabbage or perhaps dad’s special chocolate chip cookies. And we can argue it’s a particular seasoning or stuffing only your mom uses to make that dish so great.
But I see something deeper than merely the ingredients that make soul food so distinctive.
What sets soul food above regular old food, is its ability to bring people together. It’s a guarantee if someone makes a soul food, family, friends, community members will gather together to share a meal. And by coming together, not only do we share food, we also share our ideas, thoughts, actions, and beliefs. Through these meals we reinforce a bond we all share with each other.
This evening in the reading from Corinthians we hear about a soul food meal of sorts, the Lord’s Supper. Which is supposed to symbolize the Last Supper Jesus shared with his disciples. In those days, this supper was not a liturgical service, but was actually a full communal meal with only a part of the meal being devoted to sharing in Christ’s body and blood. And they were most likely held in the homes of wealthier Christians only because they could afford to host such a large communal meal.
So when I initially read Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, it sounded as if he was simply instructing them on the proper procedures of how to host a proper Lord’s Supper. Which is true, but not the entire truth. Paul is actually writing out of frustration. He had received news that at these communal meals there were divisions amongst the attendees. Divisions most likely reflecting the cultural norms of the time. People separated into their social standings and classes. Plus, to make matters worse, those wealthier people were receiving better food and those who were poor weren’t receiving anything at all.
Paul was writing to clarify what the intention is behind the Lord’s Supper, which was to bring the Christian community together. Whether man or woman, slave or free, rich or poor these meals were to celebrate that Christ died for all people not just those who could afford a meal. I can imagine the frustration Paul felt in that loss of focus. He understood that being Christian meant to live above those social norms, and yet here were the Corinthians perpetuating them.
But that’s not the only part Paul was frustrated with, there is something deeper. Yes, the Lord’s Supper is supposed to break through social norms, and bring people together. Where Paul is really concerned is with another part of what places soul food above other foods. Okay, so it does pertain to an ingredient found in all the soul food, love.
The care and love put into those dishes is what makes them so special. Soul food is made for others, to share with others. And by taking the time to cook a soul food dish it’s like making small sacrifice for others, but a sacrifice made out of love.
That’s the point Paul is concentrated on. The Corinthians were so focused on their own needs, they couldn’t possibly focus on serving the needs of others. That’s the real purpose of the Lord ’s Supper to remind us of the sacrifice Christ made for us out of love. We are to serve others as he served us. Jesus loved us so much, he was crucified on a cross, so we could live with hope.
And for us to know that hope, we are given the commandment from Jesus to “love one another. Just as I have loved you”.
Knowing that we are human, and that we won’t always succeed in sacrificing ourselves for others, we come together at this altar to remember that love. Here we are fed with spiritual food, soul food, to remind us that we are called to be like Christ. By loving and serving others we now act as the body of Christ in this world.
And by doing just those two things, serving and loving others, people will know we have been fed with soul food.
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