Set the scene: A small New Orleans-esque restaurant dimly lit and featuring specials particular to Creole food. A couple sits in the booth across from one another, staring into each other's eyes, thinking about the present and the future. Fast forward to Giordano's pizza in Chicago. A large group of teenagers and adults passing around thick, cheesy slices of Chicago's finest. Come to a stop at today, well actually tomorrow. Tomorrow night, the small group that meets at my house is having Thanksgiving dinner a little early. We will serve a traditional meal of turkey, with ham and dressing, there will be rolls and probably many sweets. Just talking about it makes me feel hungry. But I'm not hungry for the food...
Food is good. I enjoy it and we spend a good amount of time eating or preparing to eat. We eat on the run, at the table, on the couch, at our desk, just about anywhere we can grab a bite. But food is not the point where a meal is concerned. When I say I want a meal, I want moments like those in that dimly lit restaurant, or Giordano's in Chicago, or what will be experienced tomorrow night. A meal is more about relationships than anything else.
Jesus often times shared a meal with his friends. We see this in several places in Scripture. He sat down with the Disciples, with the Pharisees, with tax collectors, and with prostitutes. It wasn't like the Pharisees had the best wine to serve and the tax collectors had the best meat. Jesus sat down with these people to tear down a wall that divided. A meal shared opens the door for conversation. A meal shared opens the door for new friendships. A meal shared opens the door to fix old relationships.
Too often I'm on the run. Many times I eat it is in the car and it is McDonald's (which is my son's preference, 4 piece chicken nugget happy meal with no sauce and a chocolate milk). I miss meals, I long for meals in which I can sit down with my wife and son and just enjoy the time we have together. Maybe mealtime isn't important to you. Maybe it should be. Your son or daughter could have something they needed to tell you. Your husband or wife might need to see you besides "Good morning" and "Good night." After this current election, I'm not sure who really should have won, but I know that we need more time as family and friends, around a table, breaking bread together.
