Are you willing to sit for an hour with an onion? 

In Robert Farrar Capon’s book The Supper of the Lamb, he serves a culinary symphony that marries the art of cooking with an exploration of faith. This Episcopalian priest infuses his words with a wit that makes the reader chuckle while also inviting them to ponder the deeper meanings of life and the divine.

“…take the onions (preferably the best looking), a paring knife, and a cutting board and sit down at the kitchen table. Do not attempt to stand at a counter through these opening measures. In fact, to do it justice, you should arrange to have sixty minutes or so free for this part of the exercise. Admittedly, spending an hour in the society of an onion may be something you have never done before….Onions are excellent company. Once you are seated, the first order of business is to address yourself to the onion at hand. (You must firmly resist the temptation to feel silly. If necessary, close the doors so no one will see you; but do not give up out of embarrassment.)…This is a SESSION, a meeting, a society of things.” –Supper of the Lamb, p. 11 

Capon approaches cooking with a poet’s palate and a theologian’s heart, he beckons the reader to savor the textures and flavors of life—each recipe becoming a prayer, every ingredient a metaphor for grace. 

 Like Capon, embrace joy in the kitchen this week and cook with an expression of love for God and love for one another. There is a sacredness in sharing a meal. Eating with others was a significant event in ancient times, as only those at peace could dine together. Jesus fed the multitudes and cooked breakfast with his disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee after his resurrection. The book of Revelation describes a future “marriage supper of the Lamb”. 

One hour with a many-layered onion is excellent soul instruction, reminding us that deep moments in life often come from basic, unadorned experiences. Peel away the layers, to discover the unique flavors each person brings to the table. 

Prayer: 

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. –Psalm 107:1 

Almighty God, For food in a world where many walk in hunger, faith in a world where many walk in fear, friends in a world where many walk alone. We give you thanks, Oh Lord. Amen.  ( prayer from movie Seven Days in Utopia, 2011 starring Lucas Black as a forlorn golfer and Robert Duval as his mentor. The movie was poorly rated, perhaps because it was set in a faith-based context. It is a good watch for holidays if you need a story of redemption and fulfillment.