The association between religious communities and food has been noticed widely.  The Christian church almost has more in common across it's denominations with regards to culinary traditions than theology.  We believe vastly disparate things and yet there is not a congregation you can find without some tradition of pot-luck, post-worship meal, or monthly fellowship get together.  I find it intensely interesting when rituals unite us where ideas cannot.  Perhaps inter-necine arguments should be held around circular tables with bread and a warm hearty meal...  Maybe our council meetings would get less accomplished, but with more sincerity if the rooms were filled with round tables of food and the speaker stood inconspicuously in the corner like an MC.  

But I digress. I was telling you about the joy of the feast.  Having our little church's Bunwich Sunday meant a lot to me today.  Sunday's have become special again as they're the day in which I break my fast.  Ham, whipped cream, steak, bacon, cheese - these are the foods of celebration!  The foods of excess.  I was blessed today to break austerity with my community.  With them I celebrated the meal and the breaking of the fast.  This is in complete contrast to the things I normally share with them - reflection, prayer, heavy discussion, singing dead songs that no one really believes, and wrestling with who we ought to be.  All of that is left aside at the feast.  For in that hour we eat together.  Perhaps that's a central Christian tenet I could actually live with.