Christ in the House of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus is a painting by Jacapo Bassano. In the painting, you can clearly see Mary, Martha, Lazarus, and their servants frantically scrambling to prepare food for Jesus as he arrives. To them, the importance of preparing a feast for Jesus is immense. They are giving up, in a time period where food was relatively hard to come by, as much food as they possibly can to feed this one person. This painting was created by an artist in 1577 about a period almost sixteen-hundred years prior. However, in both time periods, food is clearly important to both cultures.
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There is another element that links these two cultures: religion. Food is not just important in secular culture but spiritual culture as well. At the heart of Christianity is the Body and Blood of Christ, represented by bread and wine. Just as food gives life to humanity and nourishes it, so does Christ. This is not specific to Christianity. Many other religions have ceremonies and surrounding food. For Muslims, Ramadan is a time of fasting. By giving up food, they are giving up one of the necessities of life in honor of Allah. It is meant to show that Allah is the only form of sustenance that they require. Similarly, Hindus believe that consuming food that was offered to a god/s brings spiritual wellness. The importance of food in our lives is undeniable, and its role is demonstrated through all forms of media.