The sacrum convivium, or sacred banquet, is continually presented and represented throughout the Old and New Testament. In his book Eucharist, Bishop Barron depicts multiple occurrences of this sacred banquet: the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden; the sacred banquet on God’s holy mountain of Zion with his people, Israel; the miraculous feast of loaves and fishes that Jesus provides for his followers; and the “last supper” that Jesus shares with his Apostles.
As Bishop Barron explains, all of these biblical feasts demonstrate what God intends for each one of us: to unite us in peaceful, life-giving, holy, and eternal communion with himself and with one another as faithful people. He intends to share a meal with us—a meal that will draw us deeper and deeper into himself and will satisfy our ultimate hunger.
This Thanksgiving holiday, gathering as we may with family and loved ones to share a meaningful meal around our own banquet tables, may we recall what it felt like to lose that opportunity last year and how we missed it, and thus, let us remember that the joy of our communion is only a reflection of the life-giving communion offered to us by Christ within the context of the true “thanksgiving”: the Eucharist. This side of heaven, the fullest way we can participate in this fulfillment is to partake of the Eucharistic banquet.
Here at Word on Fire, we pray that your Thanksgiving meal is a reflection of all the life-giving fullness of the Eucharistic banquet, and we wish you safety on the journey to wherever you call home.