One thing that we can all agree on is food. Regardless of our cultural background, skin color, or origin, we can all agree that food is foundational (形容詞:基礎,根基) to who we are and how we live. For that matter, the fact that we can live is because of food! Food is the basis to human life or any form of life, and is a major necessity (名詞:必需品) to sustaining (動詞:維持) life. More importantly, food is the product of our culture and is unique to who we are. Food reminds us of memories (名詞:記憶,回憶) from the past and special occasions are often celebrated with food. The center to a Thanksgiving meal is the turkey and to Christmas is the ham. Any known Chinese holiday is always marked with food of all sorts of colors and all bearing it’s own meaning and symbolism. For as long as mankind has been around, we have always found a way to prepare food and enjoy it.
Growing up, I was always fond of (片語:喜歡) the rich food culture (名詞:文化) that I was around. It seemed that as a Chinese American, I got to enjoy the best of both worlds. From Thanksgiving to Christmas, to Chinese New Year and Autumn Moon Festival, and everything in between, each holiday was a reason to get the family together. Now to think of it, it was an excuse (名詞:藉口, 托詞) to eat! Deep in our Asian American identity (名詞:身份,性格) is the love for food. Whether it is the simple snacking on Boba drinks or elaborate (形容詞: 精心製作的) ten course banquet feasts, we find joy in eating good food. But even more importantly, food promotes (動詞:促進,增進) fellowship (名詞:友誼,夥伴關係,團契) and camaraderie (名詞:情誼,友情) Food brings people together in a sharing of cultures and abundance (名詞:充裕,豐富). It creates dialogue (名詞: 討論﹐對話) and conversation between strangers and friends alike. Food is the glue (名詞:膠水,黏著劑) that holds who we are at the basis together. It transcends (動詞:超越) all boundaries (名詞:界限,範圍) and differences and creates a shared identity and even unity. To share food is to share a piece of who we are and what we love. It allows us to bring the young and the old, the friend and the stranger together. We not only need food, we also love food.
One scene from the Bible that often comes up is of Jesus eating and fellow-shipping with his followers. From his first miracle (名詞:神蹟) at a wedding feast (名詞:宴席) changing water into wine, to his final moments at the Last Supper (專有名詞: 最後的晚餐) , Jesus was always eating and feeding people. Jesus dined with the sinners, tax collectors, and prostitutes (名詞: 妓女). Jesus dined with the Pharisees (專有名詞:法利賽人) and disciples (名詞:門徒). Jesus not only ate with them, but He shared with them the message of the good news. Jesus not only fed them physically (形容詞:肉體上,肉身上) with bread and fish, but He fed them with the food for the soul. He gave to us the bread of life and the water that quenches (動詞:解渴) all thirsts. Jesus gave us himself to satisfy an eternal longing (名詞:渴望,盼望). When we place our faith in Jesus, we hunger and thirst no more.
When we share food, we create fellowship. When we eat together, we share our lives with each other. Food is not only what we need to live, but is also a means for us to love.
◎ C.B. Young
食物是我們的共同語言。不管我們的文化背景、膚色、來自那裡，我們都會認同食物對於我們、我們的生活方式在在都起了基本的功用。我們之可以存活，全歸功於食物。事實上，食物是人類及其他生物，賴以為生的必須品。更重要的是，食物是我們底文化的一種產品，它的獨特在於它給我們的身份下了個定義。特別的節日，都會用食物來慶祝，因此，食物往往勾起我們過去的一些記憶。感恩節的主角是火雞，聖誕節則是火腿。致於中國的節日，也一定會伴隨著各種各類、色彩繽紛，寓意深長的食物。自有人類以來，我們總會找到烹調及享受食物的一套方法。
成長的過程，對圍繞著我那些豐富多姿的飲食文化，我一直情有獨鍾。作為一個土生土長的美籍華人，我得以享受到兩種文化中的精粹！從感恩節到聖誕節，從農曆新年到中秋節，包括當中大大小小的慶典，每個節日都成為一家老少聚首一堂的理由。回想過來，不失是個讓大家可以大快朵頤的藉口！美籍亞裔本身就是喜歡飲食的，不管是簡簡單單、用來搭配珍珠飲料的零食，到精雕細琢、有十道菜的佳餚盛宴，都可以讓我們雀躍三分。然而，最重要的是，食物可以促進人與人之間的友誼。透過分享： 文化的分享，充裕的分享，食物把人們聚在一起，打開了陌生人或親朋戚友間的話匣子。食物是一種黏著劑，它把人類連接起來。食物超越了所有的藩籬、差異，帶來了認同，甚至團結。分享食物，就是分享自己的點滴，就是分享我們的喜好。它讓我們把老的、少的、陌生的、相熟的人，聚起來。食物不但是我們的所需，也是我們的所愛！
在聖經常常出現的一個情景，就是主耶穌和衪的門徒一起吃、一起交通分享。從衪的第一個神蹟–在婚宴上把水變成酒，到衪離世前的最後晚餐，耶穌常常在飲食，也常常在餵食他人。衪跟罪人、稅吏和妓女，一起用餐；衪跟法利賽人和門徒一起坐席，衪不但跟他們一起進食，衪更與他們分享信息和福音。祂不單用魚和餅餵飽他們的肉身，衪更賜給他們靈魂的食物。衪給我們生命的餅，和使我們永遠不會渴的活水。為了滿足我們無止境的渴求，衪把自己給了我們。只要我們相信接受耶穌，我們就不再會饑渴！
分享食物的時候，我們就會製造了一個彼此認識的機會。一起進餐的時侯，我們會彼此分享。食物不單只是生活的必需品，也是我們用來傳遞愛的一種工具。
◎ 翻譯：秦黃業玲