"Meeting Jesus at the Table" (Cynthia M. Campbell and Christine Coy Fohr)

TITLE: Meeting Jesus at the Table
AUTHOR: Cynthia M. Campbell and Christine Coy Fohr
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2023, (160 pages).
 

Food is a significant part of any community both at home and outside the home. The Bible too has lots of references to meals, food, and feasts. There are food laws in the Torah. Throughout the Old Testament, we read instances of people needing food, like the famine in Egypt; the hungry and thirsty Israelites in the wilderness; the test of Daniel and his friends who opted for vegetarian food as their act of faith; how God fed Elijah; the feasts of kings; and so on. The need to eat continues to be a key thing in the New Testament. The gospels, especially the gospel of John use special feasts as a way to date the interactions of Jesus with the people. For Christians, the highlight of the Christian meal is none other than the Holy Eucharist or the Lord's Table.  The Lord's Table is a symbol of love, hospitality, openness, and welcome. Combing the gospels for instances of meals with Jesus, authors Cynthia Campbell and Christine Coy Fohr lead us through the different aspects of spirituality over the table. The intent of this book is to help us ponder what it means to be disciples of Christ, and what it means to be nourished body-wise and soul-wise. Food not only sustains us. It is an opportunity to cultivate relationships of all sorts. Eating together also provides teachable moments to learn spiritual lessons. In this Lenten Study, readers get to explore eight broad themes using food as a key to unlock these lessons. The authors have also engaged the input of illustrator Kevin Burns to use visual aids to invite further reflection on the past, conversation about the present, and application for the future. Each chapter helps us relate to the Season of Lent, to point us to the direction of meeting our needs in Christ alone.

The first chapter is about the feeding of the multitude where the authors link hunger with hope. Jesus fed the five thousand with a miraculous multiplication of a few fish and loaves of bread. The providence of food in the feeding of the thousands is a reminder to us about the importance of the Giver rather than the gifts. The scarcity of food is a real problem today. Covid has led to widespread distribution challenges, leading to the imbalance of the global food supply. Jesus' intent is for us to learn to share generously. The second chapter revolves around Jesus eating with sinners and tax collectors. It shows us a biblical basis for inclusiveness. Jesus didn't just eat with people he liked, he ate with everyone, especially the despised in society. We need to learn and practice the grace of hospitality to everyone, regardless of their rank or status in society. Chapter three shows us how we need to discern moments of interruptions even in our routines. Taking a leaf from the story of Mary resting at the feet of Jesus, we are reminded that in the busyness of life, we are prone to behave like Martha who fails to discern the priorities necessary in life. Chapter Four looks at relationships and reciprocity at the table. The authors observe how many modern home designs come without a dining room altogether. Is this a reflection of a more individualistic society? How do we move from "transactional" relationships to one that is transformative? Be careful to invite people to the table for the right motives. Chapter five deals with the "excuses and invitations" we get from time to time from people who seem too preoccupied with their own lives. Will we do the same to excuse ourselves when God the Father hosts the heavenly banquet?  In chapter six, we learn about the place of hospitality and discipleship. It is essentially about serving one another. What do we do or talk about over a meal? Chapter seven shows us one precious tip: Share our memories. Use these moments to share precious memories that people at the table will cherish for many years to come. Jesus shared his deepest desires over the Last Supper. This has been repeated over the Holy Communion ritual worldwide. Chapter eight then takes us to the highlight of Easter, where we learn the essence of Christianity to break bread together as a community and to drink wine together with thanksgiving in our hearts. We eat and drink in the hope of seeing Christ again.

My Thoughts

Food is celebrated throughout the world. From the different cultural takes on the most basic of ingredients, we celebrate what it means to be human. We celebrate the presence of family and friends. We celebrate by inviting others in to share a meal, to break the ice of loneliness so that we can build a better society that cares and shares. This world is broken in many ways. With the common need for food and family togetherness, why not use food as a way to mend ties? This is what this book is encouraging us to do, both physically and spiritually. The authors leave no stone unturned when dealing with the place, the setting, the invitations, and the lessons behind the basic meal. From alfresco dining out in the open to intimate dinner settings at the dinner table, there are many lessons that we can learn. All of them have one basic thing in common: Relationships both private and public. Let me share three reflections on the book. First, the book shows us the powerful practice of eating together. If there is any one thing that can guide us toward peace, it would be learning to have meals together. In the Middle East, it has been said that the first cup of tea we share as strangers; the second cup we share as honoured guests; but the third cup we share makes us family. We might argue about the numbers but the direction of intimacy is clear: The more we eat together, the better our relationships. Sadly, more people in developed countries are letting convenience dominate the need to build community. They eat at their own convenience instead of waiting for one another. They eat alone instead of together with friends or loved ones. They are so busy that eating becomes merely a mundane ritual. Perhaps, that is why many communities around the world are fractured. 

Second, the authors help us connect the normal meal with the holy meal. Sometimes, Christians let their spirituality start and end with the saying of grace before the meal. That should not be so. Eating a meal together should spark interesting conversations both of this world and of the world that is to come. That does not mean we talk heavenly language every time we eat together.  It simply means we learn to connect both physical and spiritual lives naturally. We cannot separate the two as if the secular world is devoid of spirituality, and vice versa. The discussion questions and the illustrations in this book provide excellent resources to help us do just that.

Finally, no matter how full they are, people who love desserts will be quick to add: "There is always room for desserts." Taking a leaf from this trend of thought, if we love people, at every meal we will always say, "There is always room for people at the table." That is the best thing we can take away from the reading of this book. Make room for people at the table. Make room for people in our invitations to meals. Make room for people in our hearts. As we enlarge our hearts of hospitality, we learn to serve like Jesus, and to love one another just like Jesus did. Let this book help us see the ordinary meal as an opportunity to be thankful, to celebrate what it means to be human, and to serve one another. 

Cynthia Campbell is former president of McCormick Seminary and retired pastor of Highland Presbyterian Church in Louisville, Kentucky.

Christine Fohr is pastor of Harvey Browne Presbyterian Church in Louisville, Kentucky.

Kevin Burns (1967-2022) was an architect and ruling elder at Highland Presbyterian Church in Louisville, Kentucky. He spent years teaching Bible survey courses to middle school students (and their parents). 

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5.

conrade

---

This book has been provided courtesy of Westminster John Knox Press via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.