Apostolate at the Dinner Table

We have here a prestigious man, this Pharisee, who has invited the Lord to dinner.

He was prestigious because of his knowledge of the law.

He memorized all the different commandments, every detail.

And it's this prestigious man that, along with his friends, invited the Lord to speak.

You know, usually when you eat with friends, it's always a pleasant moment, a chance to relax.

Food brings us together.

We all need to eat, but also we need to eat with others.

We need to eat together.

And so food is an occasion to get together, to talk, to share the day.

A lot of great discussions happen at meals.

Even profound discussions.

Light ones, but sometimes profound.

And we have an opportunity to decompress because food is pleasant.

You pass the platters gently and calmly, cheerfully.

You laugh.

And if there's a bit of alcohol, even more, you know.

Even more, nice glass of wine.

And there's always some praise for the cook.

At least where I live, there's constant praise for the cook.

And sometimes it's discussion about the food, how great the food is.

So meals have that effect.

They bring us together.

and even if it's about the people who prepared the food even if that is only in the background but here there's tension everybody is watching the lord jesus they are watching you it's not a loving watchfulness There's tension because they're trying to trap him, they're trying to catch him in something that he might say, so they can accuse him that he's doing something against the law.

Yes, they're watching him, but watching him like with guns loaded.

It's an uncomfortable sense that every word he's saying is weighed and judged.

We have here a prestigious man, this Pharisee, who has invited the Lord to dinner.

He was prestigious because of his knowledge of the law.

He memorized all the different commandments, every detail.

And it's this prestigious man that, along with his friends, invited the Lord to speak.

You know, usually when you eat with friends, it's always a pleasant moment, a chance to relax.

Food brings us together.

We all need to eat, but also we need to eat with others.

We need to eat together.

And so food is an occasion to get together, to talk, to share the day.

A lot of great discussions happen at meals.

Even profound discussions.

Light ones, but sometimes profound.

And we have an opportunity to decompress because food is pleasant.

You pass the platters gently and calmly, cheerfully.

You laugh.

And if there's a bit of alcohol, even more, you know.

Even more, nice glass of wine.

And there's always some praise for the cook.

At least where I live, there's constant praise for the cook.

And sometimes it's discussion about the food, how great the food is.

So meals have that effect.

They bring us together.

and even if it's about the people who prepared the food even if that is only in the background but here there's tension everybody is watching the lord jesus they are watching you it's not a loving watchfulness There's tension because they're trying to trap him, they're trying to catch him in something that he might say, so they can accuse him that he's doing something against the law.

Yes, they're watching him, but watching him like with guns loaded.

It's an uncomfortable sense that every word he's saying is weighed and judged.