All About the Food
Whenever we are planning a get-together with family or friends at our home, my husband inevitably reminds me not to stress about the menu. His famous advice to me, “It’s not about the food” invariably elicits the following response from me, “Well, it kind of IS about the food!” I know the main point of gathering is to enjoy reconnecting in the company of loved ones, but food is definitely involved! Fellowship and feasting go together.
To his credit, Mike is just trying to make things easier for me. Use paper plates. Order pizza or chicken. And he never ever complains about the quality or quantity of food I serve. Then, there is me. Give me lots of choices! I prefer a variety of flavors and dishes. No surprise that I empathize with the grumbling Israelites from this weekend’s reading from Exodus. First, there was not enough food. Then they could not identify what the Lord had provided. Moses needed to remind them, “This is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.
It is always a treat to partake in a meal that has been prepared for you. No responsibility for the menu or preparation other than showing up and maybe bringing a dish to pass. What a gift this is and how grateful are we for those hosts who furnish it. It occurs to me that this should be the attitude I hold every time I attend Mass.
I have done nothing to earn or deserve the precious meal of Jesus. Am I anticipating the food that endures for eternal life? How have I prepared my heart’s menu to both give to and receive my Savior? Sadly, there have been many times when I failed to appreciate the great gift of the Eucharistic Feast. Perhaps that day I was more into the fellowship part…thinking about reconnecting with someone after Mass… and not hungering so much for His miracle food. Did I bring to Mass a heart filled with hope and joy, open to receiving the Bread of Life? Or was I weighed down with worries and distractions instead? Did I allow myself to be truly hungry for the Lord? Did it occur to me as the priest raised the host at the Consecration, Now we are getting to the really good part?
May we each take our place, approaching the altar in the Communion line, with hearts overflowing with gratitude and love.
Come to the feast of heaven and earth.
Come to the table of plenty.
God will provide for all that we need
Here at the table of plenty.
