“The Son of Man has come eating and drinking…” (Luke 7:34)
When it comes to great meals, I rarely remember details about the taste or quality of the food (crazy, right?). Many of my most memorable meals are memorable because of the setting and the company—where I was and who I was with. Sunday lunches at my grandma’s apartment when I was in grade school. A Christmas dinner in France with classmates while studying abroad. My first date with Anna at a Chinese restaurant in Chicago. A backpacking trip with students when all the cooking utensils were “forgotten” and we had to improvise to cook our dinner. Mealtimes connect us. From routine dinners to well-prepped feasts, the table is a place of communal intersection with family and friends. Eating together serves as a place where relationships are fostered and new relationships are developed. In fact, the word ‘companion’ comes from two Latin words meaning “together” and “bread.”
Jesus broke bread with many people throughout his ministry. In Luke’s gospel, Jesus is often seen either going to a meal, at a meal, or coming from a meal. He ate with others A LOT. Jesus’ critics took note of this - particularly aware that he ate with mixed and questionable company. Women, tax collectors, sinners. There is a connection between Jesus’ excessive eating and excessive of grace that he brings. During Lent we will be studying several passages in Luke that are set around food and eat
ing together. We hope this will shed light both on Jesus’ ministry as well as how sharing meals together can still be an important part of our faith expression and growth as followers of Jesus.
We are providing a few extra opportunities for table fellowship during this season. Please put Sunday, March 19 on your calendars for an All-Church Potluck following worship. During this time we will also have a photo booth set up for your family to update their directory photo. The Dinner Project is another way to get connected. These are one-time meals hosted by various people in the church that provide a place to intersect with others you may not know very well or at all. Visit the foyer and pick a dinner on a date that works for you! Our high schoolers and their families will also be hosting the Easter Brunch at church prior to our Easter worship. Finally, we encourage you to reach out in your own way during this season. Following Jesus’ example, consider having someone over for a meal or eating out with someone new or someone different than you. For those with kids at home juggling full schedules, be intentional about sharing mealtimes together. Be creative in your own way. Who knows, maybe you’ll discover a Lenten discipline centered around food and fellowship?