One of the most powerful lessons I learned about World Religions is the prevalence of food at religious festivals. In other words, all festivals are associated with or revolve around food… or a certain type of food.

And the festivals that stand out do so because there is no food, or there’s a fast associated with it.

In a world that is hyper-obsessed with calorie counting and viewing food as nothing more than fuel, we forget the rich memories associated with it. If you’re alive today, it’s because you’ve eaten–probably a number of times.

Food is more than just a carbon based construct. It’s an entire sociological gathering that is directly tied to our culture.

We all have a memory of a certain dish, meal, or holiday with a feast associated with it. We might even look forward to the holiday (or dread it) for that reason.

What makes food special though, is the community aspect of it.

It’s the sitting down together and sharing a meal that stands out because you don’t break bread with an enemy. If someone is sitting at your table, chances are they have been invited to sit and their chair is symbolic as an acceptance in your life.

They are being welcomed.

Consider the high school cafeteria. How meaningful is it when the outcast student is invited to sit with a group?

Or how about the workplace when the usual cliques break apart and join at one table?

Now, they may ruin that chance. They may never be invited back, or their time there might be turbulent, but the food on the table was the invitation to build that relationship.

Breaking bread is more than the fueling of our bodies. It’s the fueling of our souls.