“Come Lord Jesus, be our guest.”
My mom always began this unison prayer to settle the family each night at the dinner table.
When guests came to visit, she set the table with the good things in honor of their presence at our table.
This weekend we will celebrate The Lord’s Supper in worship and invite you to do so in your home, in communion with others in their homes.
If I were to set the table at my home, I would pull out a small table runner. Adorned with the Jerusalem cross, it reminds me of the Old City of Jerusalem, where I purchased the fabric after a pilgrimage walk. My friend Katie who was a fellow pilgrim, sewed this runner and two more, one for herself and another mutual friend, Laura. The cloth symbolizes those precious relationships that sustain me.
I’d pull out a wooden bowl, made by another friend’s father to hold the bread. Kenneth’s faith and unshakable ethics continue to guide me although he was laid to rest years ago.
Lastly, I’d use a pitcher from my mom’s college, Monmouth College in Monmouth, IL. Mom did not care so much for the pitcher, but my Depression-era grandma treasured all things useful and most of all that she was able to send her daughter to college, a privilege she did not enjoy.
My faith comes from so many and all those who taught me to pray: “Come Lord Jesus” and who nurture my faith.
This weekend, Jesus invites you to his table along with all the saints in your life. I look forward to worshiping with you on Sunday.
Jo
