As I look back at my years of growing up one of the images that stands out is that of Sunday dinner. We always went to church - my father was (is) an Anglican priest and of course the clergy family wouldn't consider missing church. Church seemed good in those days. The pews were packed and I was able to find a number of other people my age in the crowd. There was a coffee hour afterwards and everyone connected. When we got home there was always a Sunday dinner. As often as not it seemed there were guests to join us for the meal. I'm sure there were many wonderful things on the menu but what sticks out is the roast beef. My Dad always cut it thin (so we wouldn't eat too much of it) and as we got older we were introduced to the taste of English mustard with it. Once we settled into our feast the conversation would begin. Dad would start: "Well Richard, what did you think of this morning's sermon?" I would look pleadingly at my younger brothers and sister hoping that they would come to my rescue, but of course I was the oldest and was expected to carry to ball on this one. A rich desert always followed.
There was no question that we celebrated on Sundays. It was a church time, a family time and most importantly it was The Day of Resurrection. In our home today we still have a Sunday dinner although it is at night. There is always good food and usually a guest at the table. And yes - we eat in the dining room. But Sunday's don't seem quite the same. The world doesn't stop turning as it once did. People head out shopping, or go to work. Children have busy schedules of hockey or some other sport depending on the season of the year. Often they haven't been to church because they were just too busy or too tired. We've lost our understanding of celebration.
But what a great celebration Sunday should be. It is the day Jesus rose from the dead. It is the day that death was overcome and the great heavenly reunion and feast was assured. It is a day of victory and of rejoicing. Let's recapture it and celebrate.
"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows." Psalm 23:5
I laughed when you mentioned the thin cut of meat. My parents only bought us "Puffed Wheat Cereal" That way we didn't use so much milk as the cereal would overflow the bowl when too much milk was poured in.
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