Best Thing I Ever Ate -- Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives -- and Receiving Holy Communion

Last night, my husband and I were watching Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives on the Food Network Channel.

It got us talking about our favorite meal in a restaurant. We couldn't come up with one contender - and we eat out a lot - too much.

That's when I realized something. My favorite meals have always been the ones I eat when I am incredibly hungry.

John agreed.

When we come to the table hungry, we experience the best meal.

The same is true with receiving Our Lord in the Eucharist. We come hungry for Jesus. Having set every other substitute aside, we come to receive the Meal we most desire.

Some may leave feeling ho-hum about Mass, but those who put aside all other contenders, those who have set their hearts and minds and bodies on Christ, are always filled. Always satisfied. Always renewed and strengthened.

The International House of Pancakes has a slogan. Come Hungry, Leave Happy.

Spiritually, that could be our slogan.

Come to Mass hungry to receive. Leave fulfilled and happy. Ready for almost anything.

Best Thing I Ever Ate -- Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives -- and Receiving Holy Communion

The Table

The table is an antique. It's so big that I don't have a table cloth that fits it, but it is our kitchen table, and we love it.

We love it because we work out our problems here.

We eat here.

We do school work at this table. My husband works on his doctorate, my daughter works on fourth grade math, and I write articles for diocesan papers at this table.

And, as you can see from the picture, we eat cake or ice cream or any number of home baked goodies at this table. And on really special occasions, the extended family (all three grown children) come home with their spouses and we have one enormous celebration.

According to our parish priest, this table is an extension of the Communion Table. In fact, like so many other aspects of family life, what we do in our home is a reflection of the perfect plan in the Kingdom of God. Around the Holy Communion Table in each of our parishes, we learn how to be part of the Family of God. We rejoice there. We grieve there. We work out our differences there. And this is where we gather when we come home.

Perhaps it is time for you to come home. There is a place for you at the Table.

The Table