Having a meal with friends is one of the most “spiritual” things you can do.
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples… Matthew 26:26
Hilary leads a group of college girls from a local university. They meet on Thursday evenings and talk about Jesus and God’s activity in the world—then and now. It’s meaningful for the girls and life-giving for Hilary.
This past Thursday night Hilary converted the group conversation into a “First Dinner”—my version of what some religious traditions call “Communion.” (I think the traditional church has neutered communion and stripped it of its fun and relevance to real life.) We ate delicious food that Hilary had made—a noted improvement from the girls’ typical dinners. Then, we talked about Jesus and how he broke the bread and told his disciples that it represented his body, and the wine his blood.
These girls weren’t 21, so we skipped the wine part. But the food reminded us that we need God even more than we need dinner. Instead of stale wafers, we had a tasty meal. A tasty meal that reminded us to be grateful that God gives us every good gift and he’s as close as an extra seat at the table.
Who can you invite to dinner? You don’t have “over-spiritualize” it. Just give thanks and enjoy being together. That seemed a high priority for Jesus