Scripture Reflection, June 8: The “Much” in Meals

Scripture Readings:
Hosea 6: 3-6
Psalm 50
Romans 4: 18-25
Matthew 9: 9-13

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Father John Shea, a gifted storyteller of faith, once wrote that “it was the much in meals that Jesus loved.” It was the much in meals – all of the interpersonal dynamics that take place in the context of a meal -- that led Jesus to dine in so many different settings and to minister to others in those settings. In the gospel reading for this Sunday, we see Jesus at table once again. One of the most striking and controversial aspects of his public ministry was his practice of sharing meals with socially marginal and even disreputable people. Matthew the tax collector, and his shady group of friends and associates, certainly fit into that category. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day saw this crowd as disloyal, dishonest and lacking in devotion to their Jewish faith. Simply put, they were not good Jews. A teacher of the stature of Jesus should not be hanging around with people like this.

Meals in Jesus’ day were much more than just occasions for eating. They were rich in symbolic meaning. The fullness of the reign of God for which many Jews hoped was often depicted as a great banquet, with the Messiah presiding. Meals were moments of communion – communion with those who shared the meal and communion with God. By calling Matthew, a despised tax collector, to follow him and then sharing a meal at his home, Jesus was welcoming Matthew and his friends to God’s table. Jesus was the instrument of God’s mercy and hospitality to these people, who were considered beyond the pale of God’s mercy. From this experience of fellowship with Jesus, of communion with God, Matthew will be called to follow Jesus and eventually he will be sent out to proclaim the reign of God.

Jesus’ ministry was preeminently a source of hope for people, especially for those who wondered if they had anything left to hope in. In a particular way, he offered hope to those who were willing to acknowledge their own need for the mercy and power of God in their lives. People who did not deceive themselves in thinking that they had all of the answers, that they had it all together, that they had a claim on God, seemed to be the ones who responded most spontaneously to Jesus’ ministry. These people seemed to “get it” when they encountered Jesus.

In this Sunday’s second reading, Saint Paul talks about hope, the hope that Abraham exemplified as he entered into a covenant relationship with God. It was humanly impossible for the promise that Abraham and Sarah would be the parents of many nations to be fulfilled. Nevertheless, these ancestors in faith trusted in the power of God’s mercy and in God’s faithfulness to his promises. Abraham believed that God is the One who keeps his promises to us.

These Scripture readings call us to renew our hope in the power and mercy of God. They remind us of the compassion of God that was manifested in Jesus, as he welcomed the sinner to the table of God. Quoting the prophet Hosea, Jesus exhorted his hearers to learn the meaning of these words: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice; I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” Each of us, no matter what the state of our lives, is included among those who are called to the table of the Lord not because of our righteous deeds but because of the boundless mercy and compassion of Christ.

I believe that these Scripture readings also challenge us to reach out in active concern to those who are not present at the table – whether it is the table of the Eucharist or the table of ordinary food. We continue to read accounts in the newspapers these days of shortages of food around the globe. This week Pope Benedict XVI addressed the summit held in Rome sponsored by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. The pope said, “Hunger and malnutrition are unacceptable in a world which has, in fact, levels of production, resources and knowledge sufficient to put an end to such dramas and their consequences.” Benedict stressed that this is a matter of respect for human life. He went on to say that “the great challenge of today is to ‘globalize,’ not just economic and commercial interests, but also the call for solidarity, while respecting and taking advantage of the contribution of all components of society.”

Benedict’s strong words are a challenge to every Catholic to exhibit active concern for all of those who are malnourished around the world. The Catholic Church has a long and venerable tradition of outreach to those who have been on the margins of society. In our own country, we can think of the witness of Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker houses of hospitality that she founded. As we remember Jesus’ dining with those on the margins of his society, we are called to reach out, in whatever way we can, to the people in our world who do not have access to the nourishment they need to live.

Even in a world that faces tremendous challenges of food shortages and all the ambiguities associated with globalization, Christ remains our hope. He continues to be present to us empowering us to extend his compassion to others and giving even our meager efforts an efficacy greater than we can calculate. As those who are blessed to be fed at the table of the Eucharist this Sunday, may we ask for the grace to become instruments of Christ’s compassion to others, especially to the most vulnerable of our world.

Fr. Robin Ryan, cp

P.S. Please remember Catholics on Call in your thoughts and prayers this weekend. We are hosting our June Young Adult Conference, with twenty-six men and women from around the country coming to CTU on Thursday. They are a truly marvelous group of young adults. Pray for them as they share their stories, learn more about discernment, and reflect on God’s call in their lives.