Mark 14:27

"The sheep will all be scattered."

Reflection by Donna Schaper

At about half the dinner parties I attend, there is an awkward beginning.  The glorious food is presented and plattered, tickled and drizzled.  It is meant to dazzle and often does.  A high percentage of my friends are foodies.  In addition to their identity as foodies, they are a great mixture.  Jews, Catholics, Protestants join anti-Catholics, former Jews, puzzled Protestants, all drizzled by a good dose of skepticism, garnished with a respect for pluralism.  You also never know when a genuine atheist will show up, either. 

Enter the awkward moment.  If we are lucky, the hosts will offer a word of welcome.  Even better, the hosts will offer a toast and glasses will click in a pagan form of prayer.  We will drink to our health or each other or to life or to the chef.  Optimally, someone will offer a prayer, a gesture of appreciation to something larger than the host or each other or the farmer who made the food.  Most optimal of all, the Source who is thanked will have a name that is the private property of none at the table, not the agnostic, atheist, Catholic, Jew, Muslim or Protestant.  If asked to pray, I will use my favorite public prayer: "Holy Spirit, you who are beyond the captivity of any name, even Jesus, even Christ, even Allah, even Ruach, even Force, even energy, even Spirit, draw near.  Open our hearts to what we don't know and can't see.  Extend our gratitude from first seed to last seed, shore to shore, in a vast appreciation of what has been given us.  And may everyone on the planet eat as well as we will tonight.  Amen."

I know it is too long - but I get so few opportunities.  I so prefer my long one to "rub a dub dub, thanks for the grub," although I know that one has a certain earthiness.  I was once also on a campaign to eliminate the Johnny Appleseed grace until one of my Sunday School children sang it fully and by heart at age 3.  I changed my mind.

We are in a deep shift in this magnificent 21st century.  We can no longer trick ourselves into thinking that there is one cuisine or one God.  Thus we must learn to pray again, if for no other reason than to banish the awkwardness of table graces.

Prayer

O God, you who are no one's private property, you who speak Mexican, Thai, Greek and more, you who really want to mix it up with us, draw near.  And thank you for our food.  Amen.

About the Author Donna Schaper is the Senior Minister of Judson Memorial Church in New York City. Her latest work is 20 Ways to Keep Sabbath, from The Pilgrim Press. Check out her work at www.judson.org.