04/17/2026
“Then they told what had happened on the road [to Emmaus],
and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.” (Luke 24:35)
It was the festive evening of our Easter Bonfire service. We had already celebrated with worship, and our shared meal was well underway, along with karaoke singing and s’mores. Then a teenager said that something happened outside, so I went to take a look. When I opened the door, I was slightly startled by a mysterious man who I had never seen before. He was a friendly guy who was just standing there holding a dinner plate full of cooked beans. I cocked my head to the side and said, “Hello! What’s up?” (In my mind I was saying, “what’s up with that plate full of beans?!?!) He introduced himself and said he heard we were having a party. We were, so I invited him in to get some food…to go with that huge plate of beans…and we sat down together. I was so curious about the beans, but he seemed like it was totally normal to walk around like that. He offered me some, and even though I was full from dinner, I didn’t want to be rude, so I took a little nibble. I lied and said they were delicious. He asked questions about our church and we talked about the joy of Easter, and enjoyed friendly conversation while he finished eating. But I was struck by his full presence and instant generosity, his laser beam eye contact and joyful smile, and his sense of knowing his own dignity and belonging. There was a short but profound connection as we hosted each other for this brief exchange. He left as quickly as he arrived, and I found myself wondering, what just happened? And then I noticed my heart felt warm.
Jesus shared meals with people everywhere he went, and through food, he tended their most basic needs, providing both physical and spiritual nourishment. He ate in people’s homes, like when he joins Martha and Mary in Bethany. He ate with people on the hillside, like when he hosted a picnic for 5,000. He ate with his disciples on the beach, cooking some fish over a campfire. He ate with sinners and tax collectors, people who violated the well-being of the community and damaged their relationships with others, but Jesus welcomed and hosted them around a meal to bring them to the abundance of God’s love. He ate with the least of these, those who are considered the stranger, the sick, the poor, and the imprisoned, claiming them as worthy and making them whole. He ate with the travelers along the Road to Emmaus who hosted him in their home, but then he hosted them in their own home, an act of mutual hospitality. He ate with people like you and me. Sharing meals is how Jesus revealed the Kingdom of God because it was a tangible expression of unity, grace, love, and service to share food.
Through the ministries of The Abbey, we have discovered that the table takes on many different forms and locations, and that the table serves as a means of God’s love and grace. No matter where the table is located, it is about encountering Jesus, and fosters connection and belonging that is grounded in the love of Christ. We have begun to enjoy new Cook Team Volunteers lately, like these friends, and we are able to share the joy of following Jesus through hospitality and widen our circle where all are welcome at the Table. Thanks be to God!
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