Let us eat for the glory of God.
Compiled from a recent talk to our guests and from Catherine’s staff letters.
As I prayed about this topic, two simple questions came to mind: What is the spirit of mealtimes? And, why do we gather together three times a day at Madonna House to share a meal?
It came to me that this shared mealtime is a very intentional aspect of our daily life, not only for the sake of bodily nourishment but also for the purpose of rest and restoration in the midst of a very full communal life.
Catherine Doherty wrote letters to form our community members in nearly every possible aspect of personal and communal Christian living. One of these is entitled “Eating for the Glory of God” in volume one of Dearly Beloved. * She writes:
“Christ revealed himself in many ways throughout his early life. At Emmaus he revealed himself to two of his disciples ‘in the breaking of the bread.’ We in this century have forgotten that every action of our day should belong to God, and that we glorify his name in everything we do except sin.
“Among the things we, the truly lost generation, have forgotten is the breaking and eating of bread as a symbol of rest and re-creation. Eating is gathering together all the parts of ourselves that have been scattered throughout the day. We gather to be refreshed by the taking of food.
“A meal is a sacramental. All the religions of mankind have used it as a symbol. Christ alone made it the very center of our faith, giving himself as the food and drink without which we lose our eternal destiny, the beatific vision, God himself. He said distinctly: Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you will not have life in you (Jn 6:53).
“Yes, every meal is a sacramental. It should be prepared with love and eaten in peace, because its purpose is to strengthen us for the service of Love—of God.
“However, all around us are the signs of our forgetfulness. Some eating houses advertise quick lunches. Another, with mistaken pride, invites all to a ‘five-minute lunch.’ Even houses are now planned so that the family eats at a lunch counter. This may be more ‘useful’ and occupy less space, but it is cold and impersonal and far, far removed from anything dimly resembling gracious living. For truly, there was gracious living in Nazareth, where all things the Lord did were gracious.”
When we arrive at a shared meal, each person brings with them his or her own history. That history may involve memories of happy family meals together or the real absence of any experience of a shared family meal.
Do we bring knowledge of the value of Christian fellowship around a table? Or do we bring the pain and fear associated with distressing memories from our own families of origin? Do we bring openness, engaging others in gracious hospitality? Or, do we bring tension associated with utilitarian eating habits that are cold and impersonal?
These are questions worth considering as we take a deeper look at what one might call a very significant “school of love” in Madonna House. What we bring to the table when we sit down for a meal together becomes an important part of the experience we are about to share.
The icon of the Hospitality of Abraham by Andrei Rublev can help us in this. While this icon represents a historical event—the hospitality that Abraham offered to three angelic guests at the Oak of Mamre (Gn 18: 1-15) — it has traditionally been seen as a representation of the Holy Trinity. In contemplating this image of three figures inclined at a table, we are led to dwell upon the mystery of the life within the Holy Trinity and how that relates to our own life as well.
The three figures form part of a circle, which is a symbol of eternity and love. Could this indicate that we might benefit by reflecting on the nature of our own hunger and the One who can satisfy it? They lean towards each other in an attitude of deference and humility. What does this say about what our relationships to each other at table should be?
Table conversation is a big part of this, and Catherine speaks of table conversations as an important reflection of the family spirit. “Love will be watchful over table conversations. In general, the discussions will be about something worthwhile instead of a silly, wasteful spouting of words that really make no sense.
“This does not mean we cannot discuss our daily affairs or laugh over little incidents that were funny. For surely, during a day, something funny happens to everyone! If you are very much at peace with God and others, then even ‘unfunny’ things become funny and can be shared with others. You have acquired the ability to laugh at yourself instead of others.
“Laughter has been given to us by God to relax us, to sing him a song of joy. The devil hates laughter, and he wants to snatch it away from God. So he tries to use it as a harmful thing by provoking some uncharitable joke. For example, he urges us to tell an unpleasant truth in jest.
“Argumentativeness has no place in our conversation. A sullen silence that is felt by everyone is a sort of withdrawal from the conversation and has no place either. This too is a break in charity and, therefore, in the family spirit.
“Let us eat for the glory of God. Let the meal start with prayer and end with prayer. Let us remember that a meal should be an agape, the breaking of bread in love, reminding us always of the Eucharist and the Last Supper.”
Eating together three times a day can sometimes seem like work. It is actually a discipline, the fruit of which is relaxation, re-creation, and unity.
* Dearly Beloved (Letters to the Children of My Spirit), Madonna House Publications, 1988, Volume I.
image: Trinity icon by ©Marysia Kowalchyk, Madonna House
