Saint Christopher, What is strength and what is it for, & Protein Cookies/Bars

Saint Christopher Didn't Eat Protein Bars

Welcome to Cooking with Catholic History where in each posting we talk about Catholic people and or events and a related topic as well as look one of my recipes.

This time we’re talking about Saint Christopher, what strength really is and what it’s really for, and look at my chocolate protein cookies/bars.

Saint Christopher

A looming man some sources say to stand in at 7’ 7” tall from the land of Canaan, the name Christopher means Christ bearer and was more likely a title than his birth name, an interesting but negligible fact. Some sources think his name may have been Reprobus. We’ll touch on this again later why it is a blessing for us and the one we refer to as Saint Christopher.

As a giant strong man Christopher pursued service to strength and power. He sought to put himself in service to the greatest power in existence. So he found a great king and entered into service to him.

During his service to the king Christopher found his confidence in the seat of power shaken. He found the king shaken or scared at the mention of one known as the Devil. So he left the service to the king and sought out one who was known as the Devil.

Christopher thus entered into service to one known as the Devil. Some sources posit it was a bandit going by the name or title and others posit that it was in service to the Devil himself. Either way, this devil was known as powerful and intimidating. Yet, the service period didn’t last. At some point as they passed by a cross the Devil showed fear. Fear a recognition of greater power Christopher left the service of the Devil and went in search of one who could tell him about the Cross.

He found a hermit who told him of Jesus. Seeking to follow Jesus Christopher sought advice from the hermit as to how to do so better. The hermit recommended fasting and abstinence, common forms of detachment and offering. Due to Christopher’s size and dietary needs due to that it was instead that he use that size and his strength to carry travelers across a river, as a human ferry.

After serving as a human ferry for a time Christopher had a child approach seeking passage across the river. Picking up the child onto his back he began the crossing as he normally did. The water rose up around Christopher as he was used to. However, as they went the child began to weigh more and more. His weight became immense and the crossing became a struggle like Christopher hadn’t experienced before. With great difficulty he brought the child to the other shore. Christopher asked the child about his surprising weight. The child revealed to Christopher that he was Jesus the Christ and the weight Christopher had experienced was the weight of the world which is upon Him, Jesus.

That kind of exertion requires sustenance Sacramentally and often nutritionally as well. Let’s make some protein bars!

“Protein” Cookies

these cookies are a tasty protein snack with a good amount of fiber from peanut butter and oats. My wife really enjoys them with a little extra chocolate or ice cream.

Materials and Equipment

Equipment
9x14 baking pan or cookie sheet (greased or with parchment paper)

Mixing spoon, spatula, or other preferred utensil

two medium Mixing bowls

Oven preheated to 350 degrees F or 175/177 degrees C

Ingredients
1 ½ Cup Oatmeal Oats (I use instant oatmeal oats)

1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter

½ Cup Applesauce (or sub 1 egg)

½ Cup Chocolate Protein Powder

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

desired toppings or additives

Examples of toppings or additives: chocolate options, banana chips, sunflower seeds, nuts are another good option I go for, but experiment yourself

Prayer

O’God help bless this food that we are by your grace going to make

May it be for us not only a source of earthly nutrition but more so with your blessing upon it may it bring all those who consume it closer to you

May those who consume it find the veil of what true strength and power is lifted as it was for Saint Christopher

That we like him may learn of true strength and use the earthly strength and gifts you have given us in accordance with that, for your will and your glory not our own

Saint Christopher, pray for us and all who partake of this food

Amen

Cooking

Make sure oven is preheated to 350 F
mix oats, protein powder, and cinnamon in one bowl (the dries)
mix peanut putter and applesauce (wets)
mix the wets into the dries
mix in additives (if mixing in)
scoop onto tray if doing cookies or spread for bars.
if topping with additives do that now
Bake for 10-12minutes

Serving Suggestion

With coffee or how my wife likes them with some chocolate candies on top.

It’s also really good with our ice cream recipes that we’ll cover when we talk about Mother Angelica, but you’ll have to wait a few weeks for those treats! (Stay tuned you definitely don’t want to miss those)

What is strength and what is it for

Was Saint Christopher a strong man? Yes. Eventually, he even properly ordered his strength. Something that isn’t often done and we can learn from.

Firstly, once he understood the teachings of Jesus and decided to follow Him Saint Christopher laid himself down for others. He took the strength he had and devoted all of it, every ounce in service to God through neighbor. To the point he risked his life to successfully carry a small child across a river. Saint Christopher could have dropped the child who was increasing in weight as the danger of the crossing increased but strained his strength and risked his life to complete the crossing for another. Now, Saint Christopher’s strength that he used for God. All of us have strengths, not all of them looming or drastic as Saint Christopher, but God has given us strengths we can use for Him. A green thumb, grow some extra food and give it to the hungry. Social skills, being Christ for others. Programming skills, making sites or digital videos on the faith. These strengths are gifts given to us by God. Even the sufferings brought into our life as a means to offer sacrifice, prayer, and meditate on Christ’s own sufferings.

Now earlier I mentioned that Christopher was most likely not Saint Christopher’s name as it is a statement of the deed he accomplished. We may know his name and we may not. This is a blessing to him for it points not to him but to Christ, it calls no glory to the man but to God, this is our goal. This is what strength ought to be used for to give glory to God, the Holy Trinity. We diminish that He may increase. If our names be lost to history that others may learn and may better themselves by the graces God afforded us in life that we may pray for them eternally in Heaven, thanks be to God.