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A friend of mine was saying that the time she finds most peaceful and meaningful in her life is early morning, sitting on her deck, as the autumn weather brings cool, crisp morning air blowing through her hair. She sits and drinks hot coffee with her husband before they must go about their business that day.  It is a time of reflection, peaceful tranquility and intimacy.
 
A Jewish mother wrote that it was their family tradition to pick a flower for the Sabbath table in their home.  If it was fall, they brought in crinkly fall leaves for the centerpiece. All the other days of the week, they used artificial centerpieces but on the Sabbath day, they tried to always find a gift from God’s creation to use on the table.  
 
Some families join hands before eating. Others light candles for the evening meal. There are people who gather at mealtime to have a conversation.  Friends often schedule some kind of food when they gather.  Food is a constant presence at celebrations – birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, event football games aren’t quite the same without a hotdog. Food is much more than something we feed our bodies. When we eat with others, we are feeding our souls. Eating requires more than feeding one’s stomach. It is an activity to be enjoyed – taking time to share life with others while breaking bread together.
 
Today is World Communion Sunday. Once a year, Christians around the world all receive communion on the same day. Baptists, who may only receive communion every few months, get out the policy manual and figure out how to pour the juice into the small cups. Methodists, who share the Eucharist every month or two, agree to be late to the restaurant where they have lunch and stay a few extra moments to share the cup and the bread. Small congregations and large churches; Anglican and Congregational; European and Australian; children and the elderly; all God’s children come to the table this day!
 
This is the story as told in the gospel of Mark:
 
While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.”  Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it.  He said to them, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”                        Mark 14: 22-25
 
On this special day each year – we do something we do every week. Hopefully, we do it even more intentionally today.  I thought it would be interesting to explore what other traditions believe about tables and eating together since our Wednesday evenings we will be studying World Religions in a week and a half. What are the traditions of table and food for others around the world?
 
Islamic Meals are a Thanksgiving to Allah.
In Islam, every celebration is a way of thanking Allah, the One True God. Please understand that the name Allah is no different than the God we worship – it is simply the name God in Arabic. To a Muslim person, any chance to have good clean fun is an opportunity to thank Allah. Even taking a bath, putting on new clothes, wearing perfume, or getting together with friends is a ritual of thanksgiving to God. From the meal preparation to the laughter around the table – each part of the gathering is a celebration of the gifts Allah has given. None of these tasks are seen as insignificant – they are all part of a reason to give thanks!
 
Jewish Sabbath at the Table
It will come as no surprise that bread is a significant part of any Jewish celebration. The bread served on the Sabbath day has a different name than bread served on other days of the week: challah. This is the Hebrew Bible word for “new dough”. Traditionally, a Jewish mother prays for each member of the family as she stirs the dough – kneading is her love.  
 
Jewish Sabbath challah is often braided or twisted in the shape of folded arms. When your arms are folded, you are at rest. You can’t work. This is why challah is special. The bread itself tells the story of rest, relaxation, and re-creation.
 
The other significant ingredient for a Jewish Sabbath celebration is wine. And like the bread, the wine has special meaning. On the Sabbath, the wine glass is placed in a dish and filled to overflowing as a visual sign of the fullness and completion of the week.
 
Jews celebrate their Sabbath meals in a gentle and quiet mood. This ambiance should not be confused with sadness or stand-off-ish-ness. They approach the Sabbath table as if it is an altar: a place where God is always present and a place where blessing abounds.
 
Buddhist Understanding of Food
To a Buddhist, life and health are important. The secret of health, according to ancient teaching, is the well-being of the five organs.  Each organ has a food preference: the liver like acid food; the lungs appreciate pungent food; the heart bitter; the spleen sweet; and the kidney salty. Among the organs, the heart is sovereign. If the heart is weak, all the organs suffer. It is thought that the best food for the heart is tea. If one drinks tea, the heart will be strengthened and freed from illness.
 
In Buddhist thought, poverty and hunger, unless undertaken for a worthy cause, are looked on as unmitigated evils, leading to sin. It stands to reason, then, that food which is given to a hungry person is true charity. “Those who give food, give life.”  
 
Christian Teaching of the Lord’s Table
Each week, we gather around the communion table. It is the most symbolic and esoteric ritual we have.  Holy Communion; The Eucharist; The Lord’s Supper – these are the words that describe what we do here. Yet, the true essence of this table is a mystery.
 
What really happens here?
It isn’t the food that is served. You can eat macaroni and cheese and still experience the love of a child. You can order pizza and find friendship.  Around the table, basic human life is shared.  Seldom in our modern lives do we sit down together, quieted and prepared to listen to one another. That’s why the dinner table is a sacred place. The table can be an altar – a place of holiness; a place of blessing; a place where we meet God. This is the table which facilitates our sharing as a family of faith.
 
When our children were growing up, we used our table time to teach and to dialog with them. We started each meal with “thankful for’s” – a time of sharing something for which we were thankful.  During our mealtime, we asked each person to talk about the things that happened during their day. We also talked about world events as they grew up. Mealtime was a bonding, special time for our family and I’m glad to say that our children have continued to use this time in their own families as a special, sacred event.
 
It isn’t the words we say. There is no magic formula that brings a spiritual nature to this place. You can read the words from any of the gospels… even some of the epistles … they all describe the “Lord’s Supper” in different ways. Around the table, all are equal and welcome. 
 
We do not come alone. God does things in the plural. By eating the bread and drinking the cup, we declare solidarity with each other and the whole church.  We do not receive communion by ourselves. It is by its very nature a community event! Communion = community. This means to “converse intimately”. At the end of the word community is another word: unity. Like the Buddhists, we realize that food is essential for health; the gift of food is a gift of life. We may come to the table as individuals.  But we are transformed into a community where we converse intimately with each other. At this table, we declare our unity with one another.
 
Today, we give thanks for the table. It is like no other place in our world. It is a place of thanksgiving, intimate sharing, and divine grace. In a time where humanity is too divided, may we seek opportunities to commune around the tables of the world in a spirit of love!