THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
Meals have always been important in God’s activity in the world. The Exodus was remembered through a special Passover meal, the people of Israel were fed with manna and quail in the wilderness, and in Jesus’ ministry, much of his teaching and many of his resurrection appearances happened at meal times. It seems that, in God’s Reign, the sharing of food, and the connection that happens as we eat together, are essential elements. Certainly, hospitality was considered a basic expectation of all people in biblical communities, and in the New Testament hospitality is strongly linked with holiness.
This week the Gospel reading in the Lectionary relates the feeding of probably close on fifteen thousand people (the reading mentions five thousand men). As Jesus established his new community, with a new (or fulfilled) law, he also gave us a new meal to celebrate the new covenant which we enjoy with God. When we share a meal, we remember that God has provided for us, and that God is present in our fellowship and sharing. We also remember that God calls us to share God’s hospitality – God’s inclusive covenant – with the world.
This week we celebrate God’s hospitality to us, and we learn to share it with others in whatever way we can.
To download this week’s reflections in PDF format, click here.
