The Church by the Bridge - 100 Years of Good News
This week saw the last of this season’s Soup Café Wednesdays.
There is always something special in coming together from all walks of life and sharing a meal– particularly all these amazing home cooked soups so generously provided by so many people and the tasty home-made bread.
Sitting together on one long table next to someone one might have not shared a meal with for some time, discussing what is on one’s heart at that point in time, not rushed for time but just enjoying each other’s company, is truly special and warming, physically as well as in one’s whole being.
It is often in these type of settings – making time to spend with each other, listening, discussing, being attentive - where one gets to know the other at a deeper level.
Interestingly looking through the gospels it is apparent that this seemed also important to Jesus as he went through the land mixing and mingling with people. These were people from all kinds of different backgrounds, people that were friends, that were strangers until the meal, allies as well as enemies. It seems to be then, particularly in the intimate settings of meals, that many of the exchanges between Jesus and others took place. His sharing a meal with Levi the loathed tax collector, the one with the Pharisee, the meal where a woman anointed Jesus head with precious perfume… these are just some of the ones we hear of.
One might arguably also add the feeding of 4,000 and 5,000 to it, as this was also a communal sharing of a meal at a time set aside.
Lastly and most importantly was Jesus’ last meal in the upper chamber. This meal was so incisive and important that to this day we still participate in it. To this day Jesus speaks to us all directly when at the table with him, sharing the bread and the wine.
‘As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.”
And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”
Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives. ‘(Matthew 26:26-30)
Thank you to all who helped so much during the Soup Café season in all ways. Thank you also hugely for all who came along once or regularly as without you such a gathering would just not work.
Have a blessed week knowing that we are all unconditionally invited to participate in the welcoming and life giving table of Jesus at any time!
With love.
Kai