What's Good?

Well, here's something. . .

I was eating a hot-cross bun the other day (OK I guess I had several) and I noticed that this little piece of "bread/rock", covered over the top with drizzled icing, also contained hidden surprises. oOo Held within its basically tasteless dough there were bits of various fruits and nuts (what some ancients called "sweetmeats".)

oOo Ah Hah! That moment came to me, oOo as I chewed on a bit of citron and then, again, a bit of candied cherry -- there was more going on here in this simple Easter food than meets the tongue! oOo This was part of an ancient food tradition that incorporated symbolism into recipes, for fun, for learning and profound remembering. After all, what we take into ourselves often has a tendency to "stay with us" (especially lots of food!) oOo oOo
Deep spiritual roots and truths have been preserved through food traditions, and early Christianity sought various ways to reinforce the faith through everyday, common means.

So these sweet treasures found hidden oOo within crusty rolls, marked with the sign of the Cross, oOo made and eaten to celebrate Christ risen from the dead:

oOo served to Remind me of the stone tomb, hard and sealed, which nonetheless contained the Body of the Best of men--who in Reality was to burst forth from the grave Alive again, fresh, full of promise and yielding abundant New Life. oOo oOo

Flowers, plants, trees, eggs, candy and yes fruit-- so many organic things give great references to the new life we can enjoy in Jesus' triumph over death.

Fruits are a wonderful reminder of how life grows, can be beautiful to see, and bring "sweetness" and nourishment into our lives. And can a good tree bear bad fruit? We are known by our fruits, the fruit of lives pleasing to God. oOo

"An apple a day." (with shades of the garden of Eden?) "Life is a bowl full of cherries." "When life gives you lemons --" oOo

"Lemon tree, very pretty, and the fragrance Oh so sweet; but the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat". . . as the old sappy song goes. But even sadness, grief, death, bitterness can be overcome because now Death is Dead and Jesus Lives! oOo And even lemon is transformed into tasty bits of buried treasure in the hot-cross buns.

Bon appetit! To your health! oOo oOo

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