Judi Sato

Judi Sato<= /span>

Reconciliation

2 Easter, Year B=

Let me ask you a silly question – do you like to eat??

Do you prefer to eat = alone, or with others?

Eating together is ve= ry powerful.

Studies have shown th= at eating together helps children in school as parents and children get to know each other better and we can spot when something is going wrong. At St. Stephen’s we like to = eat together a lot. It’s ge= tting to the point that we are running out of space during coffee hour and itR= 17;s overflowing into the Nave. We= have Café St. Stephen’s during the warm season, with tables out in = the patio. We have our Bistro set= -up with tables in the Nave during our Ingathering and Bishop’s visits. We have many Brunches throughout t= he year and we just had our Easter Brunch.

As fun as this is, ea= ting together is more than enjoying one another’s company.

When I was a teenager= , I was often at odds with my mother. Mom had a disabling illness and my sister and I would have to cook, clean and do the laundry and we received very little thanks for those activities that ke= pt us from our friends. Resentme= nt built up. I could stay = angry with her for the whole day, until we came to dinner time. We always ate dinner together. I sat cross-wise from Mom, which p= ut me in the perfect position to watch her eat.&= nbsp; Just watching her in the simple act of cutting her food and putting = her fork to her mouth, chewing her food – humbled me and melted all of my resentment away. She was just= like me – both of us needing food to survive – she needed food to survive. Suddenly my petty resentments paled in comparison for my need for her to survive.<= /span>

Eating together recon= ciled me to my mother.

Our Collect of the da= y talks about reconciliation –

Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ’s Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

We celebrate the Paschal Mystery in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. T= his is our liturgy of Reconciliation. Here we are reconciled to God by remembering the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ who has taken away our punishment for our sins. Here we are reconciled to each oth= er as the Body of Christ is re-membered, re-gathered together each time we come to the altar rail.

The Eucharist is a meal. It is the heavenly banquet in the here and now. It is also a sacrament, and as a sacrament we are not just rememberi= ng the Last Supper, we are participating in that supper, we are present along = with Jesus at that meal.

We are eating togethe= r, we are eating with Jesus. <= /o:p>

I’ve mentioned = before the importance Jesus placed on eating with others – with his Table Fellowship. Jesus ate with tax collectors, sinners, prostitutes, Pharisees even. By eating with the outcasts, Jesus= was bringing them back into the community – reconciling them to one another.

Sharing a meal, or a = cup of tea is a significant part of the Middle Eastern Culture. Rod and I and our three kids had t= he opportunity to visit my Sister and her family while they were stationed with the Air Force in Ankara, Turkey. When we went shopping we’d go into the store and before any business was transacted – we sat down and were treated to tea and coo= kies or bread. We spent about 30 m= inutes getting to know one another. = They were honored we had chosen to come into their establishment. Once the relationships were establ= ished, then business could be transacted. It was a powerful experience for me. In Turkey, relationships came first – then business.

Providing shelter and= meals for strangers is an historical and significant part of their culture. I want to read a short story to yo= u from our Crossways Bible Study that is a powerful illustration of hospitality.

A Bedouin chief in S.E. Turkey invited a traveler into his camp and tent, and provided him with shelter and food. After several days, the traveler showed his new gun to the host and = told him how he had killed someone to get the gun. The host noted with alarm that the= gun had belonged to his son, and therefore the chief’s “guest” had killed his son to get the gun. What did the Bedouin chief do? He had to continue to act as a most gracious, warm host during the f= ive days that the visitor stayed with him.&nbs= p; After the visitor left him he could not pursue him for three and a t= hird days. Why not? He had fed the man – and only after every trace of food that he had fed the man had passed through the man’s body could he pursue him. Why? While any trace o= f food he had fed the “guest” remained within him, that man was his brother – and he could do nothing to harm him.

What reminder does this incident offer about how those who celebrate the Lord’s Supper together are to relate to each other – throughout life?

The Bedouins did not have the option of refusing to offer their hospitality.   I don’t believe we do either. I like what Father Ke= ns says at the Eucharist – “all who honor the intention of what we do here are welcomed to come forward and receive the Sacrament.”    All are welcomed to re= ceive the grace of God and come and be in the presence of the Lord. All are welcome to be reconciled t= o God. All are welcomed to be reconciled = to each other.

In addition to eating w/ the tax collectors and sinners, Jesus’ own grou= p of disciples demonstrated his reaching out to all types. And we have that reminder with our kneelers at the altar rail:

        &= nbsp;   Simon – was a zealot, a rebel – in many ways like today’s liber= als

        &= nbsp;   Peter - impulsive – always seemed = to be confused – except that Jesus was the Messiah

        &= nbsp;   Thomas – the doubter – today’s Gospel – he’s like the ones who need proof

        &= nbsp;   Paul – the Pharisee, the modern day Fundamentalist

        &= nbsp;   Judas – even Jesus ate with his be= trayer.

When you see these symbols at the rail, recognize that you are in good company – that you do not need to have all the answers that you may even have some wrong ones, but that does not matter.= What matters is that we are all united together at the rail here, as well as being united with all the other altar rails throughout the world, a= ll of us members of the Body of Christ. =

This is my purpose, my call – to be able to Preside at the Lord’s Supper, say the prayer of Consecration over the bread and wine, and to make sure that ALL feel wel= comed at the altar rail. Then to encourage one another that as we leave the rail we do as the collect sugges= ted – that we show forth in our lives the faith we profess, that Christ is still = with us.

I want to close with a verse from a song sung by John Michael Talbot, a Roman Catholic, with Michael Card, an Evangelical.

Come to the table, He’s prepared for you

The bread of forgiveness, the wine of release

Come to the table and sit down beside Him

The Savior wants you to join in the feast.[1]=

Come, eat with Jesus…….