OBSERVATIONS
FROM
THE
DINNER TABLE
The title of my homily for this 32 Tuesday in Ordinary Time
is, “Observations From The Dinner Table.”
Jesus didn’t just learn lessons from the birds of the air
and the flowers of the fields. It seems he learned a lot from the dinner table
as well.
Questions: What have we observed from watching people
eating – serving – being served – talking – listening – being - doing? What
have we learned about how we see ourselves and how we see each other while
eating?
FIRST JESUS
At meals Jesus had his feet washed by a sinful woman –
even though the Pharisees went, “OOOOh! Don’t you realize who this lady
is? You don’t do this.” Then he told the
Pharisee whose house he was in: “You don’t get it. I came into your house and
you didn’t provide or take care of the traditional foot washing. There are
dusty roads out there. Yet this woman washed my feet and dried them with her
hair.”
At the Last Supper Jesus washed feet.
While traveling and people came to see him, Jesus made
sure they got enough to eat.
Jesus saw people trying to get the best seat at tables –
so as to impress others.
Jesus could see through people and see what was eating
them as they ate.
Jesus saw how some people made religious dietary laws –
and keeping them - more important than
the meal itself and the people around the table.
Jesus saw people eating and drinking and dressing well –
and not seeing the poor at their door – starving to death.
In today’s gospel Jesus stresses the importance of being
a servant. Serve and when you’re serving,
put on your apron and serve those around you.
NEXT ME AND YOU
What have I learned while at table?
I love to tell the story about a week I had in Mansfield,
Ohio. We were preaching a parish mission at this parish. The pastor suggested
we go over to the parish hall for lunch each day. It was more than a lunch. It
was a feast – cloth napkins – good china and silverware – and great food.
5 churches in town took a week at a time on a rotating
basis - to provide a meal for the poor. I was there the week of the Catholic
church’s turn. I noticed that they decided to do it with style. They provided a
sit down dinner with parishioners as waiters and waitresses - taking orders – there
were options - and then bringing the meals on individual plates to those there
for dinner. I sat next to one guy who told me he loves this place over the
other 4 places – because “We’re treated like royalty here. I feel human! What
great respect! Best restaurant in town.”
What I learned that week was not in church – but in that
parish hall!
What have we learned in life from observations at the
dinner table?
I was on a weeklong workshop once – and I was seated with
strangers for lunch around this big round table. I spotted strawberry jam – on
the other side of the table. Instead of asking for someone to pass the
strawberry jam – I stood up and reached across the table and took the
strawberry jam. A lady on the other side of the table said, “You can always
ask, you know.”
From that observation I learned that I prefer to be
independent – to not depend on others – to do it myself. I learned that I much rather give than ask
for help. Upon further reflection I thought I better get used to having other
people on the planet and on the table help me. Otherwise I’m going to be a
basket case when I’m in our nursing home. From that experience, I learned if I
can ask for help, I’m letting go of control – and letting others do what I like
to do: serve.
One last observation: I worked in a retreat house once
and every year we’d go out for a Christmas dinner in a good restaurant. I began to notice that one of our retreat
house waitresses would be a royal pain you know where – with whoever the waitress was that we got in that restaurant. She
would be rude and rough – pushy and picky. “Take this back!” “This knife has
soap spots on it. I was surprised at this. I was talking the next day about
this and someone said, “Oh that’s her. She always does that – to make up for
the times she has to take grief from waiting on people at our retreat house.”
I learned that some people treat waitresses and waiters
with little respect and love – and not as human beings. Some people do to
others what they don’t like being done to them – the Golden Rule in reverse.
CONCLUSION
One of Jesus’ titles was “Teacher”. One of our titles is, “Disciples.”
Life is a classroom. We can get a lifetime education – in
degrees – if we simply look around at ourselves and others while we eat – as
well as how we drive – how we park – how we are at doorways and thresholds, how
we treat one another in the everyday moments of life. Amen.
