March 20, 2014

Breaking Bread

Jesus knew: food brings people together.

Breaking bread together plays a central role in many passages of scripture. Most importantly, of course, is The Last Supper, when Jesus lays the foundation for the Eucharist.

But throughout the Old Testament, the Hebrew people gathered at the table for meals as an expression of hospitality and relationship. Jesus’ first miracle was turning water into wine at the wedding of Cana, surely to accompany a scrumptious feast. We have the feeding of the 5,000 in Matthew, and Martha likely was fixing dinner for Jesus and the other guests when she complained about what she perceived as indolence from Mary.

In Acts, we hear about the lives of early followers: “Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts."

So perhaps it’s no surprise that food can bring out the crowds. The four Episcopal congregations in Northern Kentucky celebrate all of the major feast days. The service rotates among the four churches. On some days, attendance is moderate, but often a handful show up for these weekday services. But not last night.

Nearly sixty people came to honor Saint Joseph. And to eat chicken, pulled pork, and ribs, all prepared by the priest and seasoned with his homemade BBQ sauce (which makes ribs so good that Adam wouldn’t give one up. Yes. That’s on the label!)

Sharing meals can build and strengthen relationships. At our table, we had a couple in their 80s, another in the late 50s, an (early!) 40-something, a young mother, a 12-year-old, and a 7-year-old. The conversation was wide-ranging and grand. I see this when the men of our church cook breakfast once a month to raise money for youth scholarships to the camp and conference center. Eight o’clockers meet 10 a.m. service participants. As the last of the made-to-order omelets are eaten, the congregation is stronger. People have made a personal connection.

I’m not suggesting that every time the doors open, food should be served. Striving for good health and moderation is important.

But it might behoove us to think carefully about some of our programs and whether they would benefit from beginning (or ending) with a shared meal. A weekly Bible study might attract more people if families didn’t have to figure out how to feed the kids between work, school, homework, and activities. The vestry might become more cohesive if they broke bread together before diving into the budget. And the Altar Guild might understand in a new way their sacramental duty if they began their work by sharing a common table.