Wine
I was reminded of what we often forget as Christians, especially in our prayers: thanksgiving. Of course, we give thanks for all the big events that happen, even if just with a sigh of relief saying “Thank God.” But many of us fall prey to forgetting to see and thank God for the little things in life, like the trees changing colors, clean and crisp air, good food, good friends, or even a good glass of wine.
In a world obsessed with entertainment, consumerism, and instantaneous happiness; wine and alcohol, in general, tend to be used as a tool to feed into this way of life. Some desire to get intoxicated to be amused and have a moment of forgetfulness or what they perceive as happiness. On the other hand, those who see this and realize something is missing can go to the opposite extreme where they make the gift of wine a sin. In a book by Gisela Kreglinger called The Spirituality of Wine, she sees both options as problematic. Wine is an image of the blessing of God, and it is given so that we might be joyous. This way of fellowship with one another and receiving the gifts of God calls for an examination of how people live; do they live to consume or seek to find God in even the small things, like a glass of wine? By drawing the reader to a Scriptural view of wine, Kreglinger calls for people to slow down and consider the gifts of God.
The Spirituality of Wine calls the reader’s attention to the fact that wine provides sustenance to the body, not just hydration, but that in the consecrated wine of the Eucharist, we receive Christ, where the Christian is united to Christ and “continually draw from the sap of the vine” who is Christ (see John 15), and where “one can remain alive in Christ.”[1] Through the wine in the Eucharist, Christians are tied to God. It is here that the body of Christ is united together. Our fellowship in the Eucharist is also reflected at the dinner table. A meal with friends and family becomes an image of the greater meal in the Eucharist whereby we are united to the whole family of God and commune with the saints. Through the spiritual pondering of wine, the Christian realizes that wine sustains them physically, spiritually, and relationally—all three of these are inseparable when understood in their fullest sense—and life is lived enjoying the gifts of God looking to the hope that is proclaimed in the Eucharist.
Additionally, the Christian or vintner is drawn to look at the sustainability of this gift of wine. This pursuit leads them to ponder ecology; humanity’s relation to the earth and the earth as God’s proclamation to humanity. Kreglinger notes, “We are part of God’s creation, and our Christian lives unfold in our relationship with God and creation.”[2] Whether Christian or not, those who are vintners tend to realize that there is something very spiritual about wine, the winemaking process, and even the ground from which the vines grow. We understand this as being rooted in creation and God’s redemption of creation; yet, so many of us neglect this aspect. Only when people move from being consumers to being caretakers can they begin to think theologically about creation and the small things in front of them. Humanity is called to care for the world, but the provision of the earth is also a way in which we see God’s provision and his desire for us to find true joy.
Joy and happiness seem to be what everyone is chasing; however, if Saint Augustine is right, then "our hearts will remain restless until they find their rest in God." The gift of wine is abused or not received in its fullest sense when it is received apart from God. Wine, by itself, seeks to find joy in the effects of the wine. But wine, when united with a rich theological understanding of who God is, allows for the effects of wine to lead to a deeper spiritual life with others and a new understanding of the love and grace of God, not in drunkenness but in thanksgiving. The reality is, that the true mystery of wine can only be understood and captured in a true and lively Christian faith. The Church has the greatest gift to offer others, Jesus Christ, who has created all things and is redeeming them so they might find their fullness and joy in him.
In the opening of the book, Kreglinger, who grew up on a vineyard, notes her first communion, “The smell of the wine was so familiar, the taste so fresh and crisp, that it smelled and tasted like home.”[3] The soul of the world is rushed and worried; yet, in Christ, the Church is given a way to understand the deep blessings of God and live a life of joyous communion when they slow down and, like a monastic, contemplate the gifts of God. Through a meal, people are sustained and celebrate in the gifts of God as they are reminded of the Eucharist and the coming hope that the wine represents of the heavenly feast. Food and drink are powerful gifts given to the Church that they might join together in love and that in joyous eating and drinking they might be reminded of their eternal home.
Before you think me a lush, for those who perhaps cannot drink in a worthy or holy manner for whatever reason, abstaining from drinking alcohol is a way of preserving its sanctity. That is, if God gave it to be a blessing to foster love, communion, and thanksgiving then not partaking in it due to our own inability is a way of preserving and pointing to its God-given purpose. And it points to the fact that things are not the way they are supposed to be and we can join in a longing for when God makes all things right. But this doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways to participate in joy, thanksgiving, and celebrating God’s provision and love for us. So, I hope you all find ways to slow down, give thanks, and think deeply about the gifts of God in your life, whether it is feasting with friends and family, appreciating a glass of wine, or spending time together as an image of our communion in Christ.
Pax Christi,
Fr. Aaron
[1]Gisela Kreglinger, The Spirituality of Wine (Grand Rapids, MI: William B Eerdmans Publishing, 2016), 33.
[2]Ibid., 121.
[3]Ibid., xiii.