With my limited knowledge of Chinese history and legends, I am able to locate a story in which eating the flesh of a son and his father was saved.
The son was called 伯邑考, the first born of 姬昌, a feudal lord in the west serving the last emperor, the notorious tyrant紂王of the Shang商Dynasty. The tyrant was suspicious of the loyalty of 姬昌 and had him imprisoned. Perhaps one of the reasons was that 姬昌 was a famous oracle. During his imprisonment, he was accredited for finalizing the Chinese classic I-Ching易經. In order to save his father. 伯邑考 brought along treasures and offered himself as a hostage. The tyrant made him a charioteer. Later, in order to test the oracle skills and loyalty of the father, the tyrant boiled the son and gave the soup to the father. The tyrant reasoned that if 姬昌were such a reputed holy man, he would not eat the soup made of his son. Out of fear, 姬昌 ate the soup and regained his freedom. Upon his return, 姬昌was more determined to overthrow the insane tyrant. His second son 姬發 succeeded him and united 800 feudal lords to finally overthrow the tyrant and built up the Zhou周Dynasty which lasted for more than 800 years in Chinese history. 《史記正義·殷本紀》
If you think the story gruesome, think about the Holy Eucharist of Christianity. Catholics believe that the Sunday and daily mass is more than a remembrance of the Last Supper. The mass is a celebration, a re-enactment Jesus' sacrifice on Mount Calvary in a non-bloody way. During the Last Supper, Jesus took up the bread, broke it and announced that it is his body which would be broken on the cross for the redemption of mankind. Catholics and some other Christians believe in the real presence of Jesus in the consecrated bread because Jesus said so. Eating his body, we partake in his redemption. We become a part of his Mystical Body and we are assured of our salvation and ascension etc. Looking back, the theology is not that bizarre after all when we have heard about the Chinese story. Of course they are not the same because Jesus is God while伯邑考was only a mortal. However, the theme of sacrificing oneself so that others may live runs through human history in many heroic stories.
Contemplation before the Eucharist teaches us one important mystery, the incarnation. If it is difficult to grasp the wonder of God being made flesh, of divinity "downgrading" into humanity, think about how Jesus becomes immobile within a piece of wafer, waiting for our consumption. After receiving the Holy Communion, we absorb Jesus into our bloodstream. We are animated and strengthened to bear witness and work charity. So is Jesus who has been imprisoned and immobilized in the wafer after consecration, reminiscent of the Son of God taking up humanity. What a mystery of love!
Dear Lord, strengthen me to carry out your will, to make your presence felt in the world. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment