The Table Of The Lord . . . The 'most Holy' Place!
“My Sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me . . .” John 10:27 There are times in life when consistency is just plain necessary, and when it comes to our spiritual life, this is especially true. Ordinary things done consistently, become habitual, familiar, and very extraordinary.
I have walked the same five-mile urban trek through Vincennes nearly every day since 2006. The people who live along the path have become my friends. I have never been invited into their homes, but as I pass by, they know who I am and shout friendly words of encouragement. I know their faces, but not their names. These people are familiar when I see them in Wal-Mart shopping, but I do not know their life stories. I often pray for them as I recite my rosary, while walking quickly past their houses, but I have never stopped to see what their prayer needs might be. I observe many things about these individuals, but my assumptions could all be wrong, because our relationship is nothing more than a quick friendly hello.
There is another practice which I try to make routine, and it has changed my life in many ways. Attending Mass every day and receiving the Eucharist gives me more strength than I could ever gain by walking every day. I realize that for most people attending Mass seven days a week is not possible, but your life will change if you attend as often as you can. On a daily basis, Jesus invites you into His home, He knows your name, your face is familiar to Him, and He knows before you ask just what you need. He observes you coming and going, even though you may only offer Him a quick hello. He knows your story because He walks with you everywhere, everyday.
While walking down the sidewalks of my urban trail, I can see kitchen tables through the windows of some of the homes. There are never dishes on the tables or people sitting in the chairs waiting for a meal. No one is sitting on the chairs of the porch either. But there always seems to be a television light shining through the window. The empty kitchen tables remind me of a verse I read in a very old cookbook titled “Home is a Kitchen Table,” from an unknown author. It said: In almost every house, the kitchen table symbolizes the home. Not just because it is a place to eat In fact, eating is incidental For little children it is a place to play with cars, build with blocks, make play dough and create crafts, and underneath it is a playhouse. Kids prefer the kitchen table over the desk in the bedroom for homework. Dads pay bills and figure out the taxes at the kitchen table. For Moms, it is a place to fold clothes, check math papers, and there may be a sewing room, but the kitchen table is always handy for cutting material and mending. And when friends stop by, everyone gravitates to the kitchen table to drink a cup of coffee or play a game of cards. The kitchen table is a place to comfort tears and tell stories that make you laugh. A place where the prayers are said, plans are made, and memories relived, because that is where the people are. A family can get along without a TV, but not without a kitchen table. To wish newlyweds a long and happy life is nice, but it may be more practical to say, “May you have a strong and sturdy kitchen table.”
I wonder what kind of table Jesus and the disciples used for the Last Supper. No one can be absolutely certain, but I am sure it was strong and sturdy, and it held a place of honor for Jesus. Please make time for meals at the kitchen table with your family, with prayer said, plans made, and memories relived. Most important, attend Mass together for the Supper of the Lord every Sunday. And if these ordinary practices become habit, I am sure extraordinary things will begin to happen in the life of your family. A simple consistent effort is very necessary when it comes to building your relationship with Jesus, because Christianity is about more than walking into church and offering an occasional quick hello. With much practice in prayer, our wants and needs will become what is God’s will for us, because He knows us, and when we listen to His voice, it is easier to follow Him. Amen!
