Jesus Hosts a Dinner Party and You're Invited

When: Sunday
Where: Church
Menu: Bread and Wine/Grape Juice
What to bring: A humble and penitent heart, desire for community

Next week, I'll be taking communion and I'm really looking forward to it. Although I always argue that Christianity and partying are quite similar, this is the one time where practicing Christianity directly involves drinking. And eating too! There are good reasons why communion, which I prefer to call the Lord's Supper, is a central ritual in Christianity. First of all, who doesn't like sharing food and drink?

Who says it's dog eat dog?

On the night that Jesus' best friend stabbed him in the back, Jesus assembled all of his friends and they ate and drank together. There is no pleasure finer than dining with your closest friends and having a few drinks. Everyone shares, conversation is easy, and everyone automatically and fairly divides up the cleanup. It's warm, it's loving, it's just the best! This is the feeling that the Church attempts to evoke by serving communion: a feeling of closeness and community. After all, "communion" and "community" come from the same root word meaning "togetherness." When Christians take communion, we are like a family sitting down for dinner together. But we're kind of a weird family because anyone is invited to join so we're more like friends. Or perhaps framily?

The bottom line is that communion is a celebration of togetherness and community. Ever since the time of the early Church, Christians have practiced it and it is an integral part of maintaining our loving relationships with one another. Families that make time to eat together are blessed by the time and their families are stronger. Friends who drink together are honest (sometimes too honest) with each other and form lasting relationships (if they are responsible).

In fact, buying someone a drink is a common and powerful gesture in friendship that resembles communion in many ways. Offering to buy someone a drink is a show of goodwill and it offers an excuse to spend time together. After all, you don't usually buy someone a drink, hand it to them, and then walk away for them to drink it alone. The point of buying someone a drink is not necessarily about the beverage; it is mostly about creating an opportunity to be together and showing your love for them.

Communion is like this in that it is not entirely about the bread and wine. Fritos and beer can function a lot like bread and wine if they are taken in the right company (not recommended for Church though). The bread and wine are important because of what they point to. They are a sign of God's promise to be with us. When Jesus originally broke bread and poured wine, He promised that he would always be able to pencil us in and meet for dinner, his treat. Just like a beer that you buy your friend demonstrates your desire to hang out with them, the bread and wine of communion demonstrate that God is here with us, at the table sharing a meal. Or at the bar sharing a few drinks, bar stools pulled up close for deep conversation. And the spiritual nourishment that we get from communion is always God's treat, a gift freely given to us. Because nothing says "I want to hang out with you guys" like "this round is on me."

JCJC (Jesus Christ Just Chilling)

This week's drink is made with brandy, which is made from grapes, like wine, but is stronger and therefore better.

Royal Violet

Most of these ingredients are french, so this one goes out to France. The French really know how to sit and enjoy a meal together.That's why lunch sometimes lasts 2 hours there.

Ingredients: 1.5 oz Brandy, .5 oz Creme de Cassis, .5 oz Pomegranate liqueur, .5 oz Saint Germain (optional)

Simply combine these over ice in a lowball glass and, if possible, garnish by floating frozen violets on top.