Embracing Biblical community around a table

Food has always been the great gatherer, the silent peacemaker that beckons us all to the table. 

In the scripture, we see Jesus using meals to unite people. When Zacchaeus needed to hear His message, it wasn't from a pulpit that Jesus preached, but over a shared meal at his table. His illustration of the kingdom of God? A meal. A simple, shared experience that He implored us to continue in remembrance of Him. This wasn't a new concept, but one deeply ingrained in His heritage. Jewish traditions celebrates feasts like Passover, Pentecost, Yom Kippur and Tabernacles, using these communal meals to pass ancient wisdom to the next generation. 

This was not unique to the Jews. 

Every civilization has used food as a gathering point, a stage upon which stories were told, wisdom shared, community fostered, and families built. 

Because after all, we all need food to survive. 

But things are changing. Our meals are increasingly removed from their origins, delivered to us processed, cleaned, and perfectly uniform. And with this shift, we've seen an astonishing amount of waste. We've also drifted from the table. The television has replaced the dining room as the family's gathering place, with meals often served on trays and eaten in silence. We've become spectators, detached from the here and now. Truly listening, really hearing, has become a challenge in our noise-saturated world. 

The art of conversation, once a staple at the dinner table, has been reduced to sound bites, constantly interrupted by the noise and lights of our digital age. 

Our faith is about connection. 

It yearns for relationship and calls us back to it. The incarnation itself is a testament to the importance of relationships, a reminder that they outweigh wealth, status, or entertainment. And like anything of value, relationships require effort. In our increasingly fragmented world, food remains our common thread. 

Let's return to the table, sharing and learning from each other as we strengthen our bonds. Let's dust off our tables, cook good food, and cultivate relationships. 

Because at the end of the day, that's what really sustains us.