Taste and See August 20

“Come, eat of my food and drink of the wine I have mixed! Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding.” Proverb 9:5-6

“Understand what is the will of the Lord.” Ephesians 5:17

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven.” John 6:51

Piety

Let us pray: Lord Jesus. You did your greatest work during feasts – weddings, funerals, Passover, and more. You are the host with endless energy, you never stop sending out invitations for us to join you at your next celebration. Please send us your holy hospitality so that we might taste and see and come to know you and advance in the understanding of Your Way, Your Truth and Your Light. Deliver us from evil and grant us peace today. Amen.

Study

http://www.usccb.org/nab/082006.shtml

Christianity is not some esoteric school of philosophy. It is not like some Ivy League college that we have to apply to, hoping to get in among the stiff competition. Christianity is right in front of us. Christianity is very tactile. We can wrap out fingers around it. Jesus is like the cook-chef on a wagon train at dinner time – he rings a dinner bell and we are invited to freely “come and get it.”

Christ is right in front of us to touch, taste and see. When we open our hands, we give Jesus a throne. When we open our mouths, we give Jesus a place to rest. When we taste and see his goodness, we give Jesus a place to dwell. In us.

We need food after all. Jesus knows that. So the Lord provides what we need. He doesn’t hang out in heaven with the angels and saints. He came to earth to become fleshy, like us. He knows what hunger is. He knows what homelessness is. He knows what it is like to be alone and feel abandoned. So, he provides for us the holy invitation to never be hungry, homeless nor alone.

In college, several of my classmates had a beautiful yet simple poster that I remember to this day. On it was pictured a loaf of bread and some wheat along with a cup of wine and some grapes. Above the picture were these simple words: “Jesus of Nazareth invites you to a dinner to be held in his honor.”

Some people will taste it and reject it. Some people will be afraid of tasting it. Some people may never hear the invitation. But today and everyday, our faith is the invitation to “taste and see.”

Action

When the cook-chef rings that dinner bell, he serves those who worked in his field. Jesus is the same way. He gives us the living bread in exchange for the work we do in His field.

In little more than three weeks, the 113th Men’s Cursillo for the Diocese of Arlington will be held -- from September 14-17 at the Josephite Center in Washington, DC. Assistance is needed to sort “palanca,” carry luggage and help check in candidates Thursday night. In addition, a group reunion is needed to organize the Saturday night activity. As always, your attendance at the closing also is welcome.

Can you respond to any of these invitations to serve?