A priest of my acquaintance once pondered what the church, let alone our Sunday worship, would look like if the early church had taken as its model this breakfast by the sea rather than the Last Supper. This may not be as far fetched as it might first appear. After all, the Feeding of the 5,000, or the Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes, is one the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels. Burridge notes
All the resurrection appearances suggest that Jesus was recognizable, eventually, yet somehow different. His old ways and habits are still there--yet transformed. So Jesus answers their questions with a familiar action: 'he took bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish' (21:13). these words recall how he fed five thousand by this same lake (6:11). We saw then that 'taking' and 'giving' are eucharistic and the reflection of the communion is below the surface her. Pictures in the catacombs and early churches use images of fish and bread for the communion as often as the cup of wine. (p. 239)
This photo by Patty Brdar shows the mosaic on the floor of an early church built on the supposed site of the miracle.
This painting, commonly called the "Eucharist fish," is in the Lucina crypt in the Catacomb of Callixtus, Rome.
My first reaction to this notion was "Sushi for communion? EEEWWWW!" Of course, the priest was not talking about the menu of the meal, but the concept. And the theological implications.
What if?
Peace,
Jeffri
No comments:
Post a Comment