Week of August 29, 2010

The Olive Branch	Fr. Seamus Murtagh, Pastor
Recasting Meal Etiquette   Our society is very status oriented. If you are the President of a company, your office must be on the top floor with an ocean view. If you are the Vice President, you will have the next best room. And if you are far down on the totem pole, you may not even have a private room; you may have to share or else get a view of the parking lot. Vance Packard says “we are all status seekers.”   In the time of Jesus society was similarly status conscious, especially at banquets. For example where one sat at a meal vis-à-vis the host was a public advertisement of one’s status. Consequently, seating arrangements at a table were carefully attended to. Similarly, because meals were used to publicize and reinforce social hierarchy, invitations to meals were meant to enhance one’s social status. It is for this reason that Jesus spoke of choosing the “lowest places” at banquets and of inviting the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind.   The early church understood the teachings of Jesus to apply to the Eucharist. There is a story of King Charlemagne, king of the Franks. Once, wishing to attend the Eucharist, he sent his royal procession to the Cathedral at Aix, France. The doors were closed. The Bishop came out and asked, “Who is it that wishes to enter?” The herald announced “This is Charlemagne, King of the Franks, friend of the Pope, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire!” The Bishop answered, “Him, I know not!” It is only when the royal announcer tried again, “This is Charlemagne, a lowly sinner begging to receive the bread of life!” that the Bishop said, ‘Now you may enter and receive Christ’s gift of life!”   In other words, at the Eucharistic table, and in the Christian community, there are supposedly no ranks, no places of honor, no status, no hierarchy. All are equal, sharing in the one bread and the one cup.     Fr. John D’Mello
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