Maundy Thursday: There's something about a meal.

Two friends met at the gym and talked about their golf game. When they saw each other at a cocktail party, they discussed their work. When sitting together at a meal, they spoke of their childhoods and the ups and downs of life.

There’s something about a meal.

Meals are intimate. They invite our souls to come out and play, or at least speak. When that happens, the meal becomes so much more, life becomes larger (or deeper), and a presence can be felt.

Two thousand years ago, in a room upstairs, some friends gathered for a special meal. On the one hand, they were happy to be together. On the other, they could feel a tension in the room. After the main course, the host took bread and wine, gave thanks and shared it with the others. The conversations were hushed as the assembled guests received the bread and wine. In that moment, the meal became something more, life felt larger, and a presence was felt.

It was the first of such meals, and each day since that meal has been re-created somewhere on this planet. Bread and wine await each of us every day. Yes, we can find them at the gym, at parties, but they’re particularly accessible when sitting at a table, sharing a meal, and giving thanks.

It is then, just as it was long ago, that a meal becomes sacred, life becomes larger, and a presence is felt.