For as long as I can remember, I’ve been in charge of setting the table for dinner, which included arranging logs around the fire ring when camping.
Whether gathering around a campfire eating off 1970s melamine dishware or coming together around the dining room table adorned with my parent’s wedding china, mealtime was where my family connected and shared.
Throughout the gospels, Jesus is found sharing a meal with others. While the most notable meal is the Last Supper, Jesus also shared meals with tax collectors, sinners and outcasts. It was over a meal that Jesus fostered a personal relationship with those gathered and demonstrated God’s love through His teachings.
Jesus is a friend to everyone and His desire is to bring people together as one Church. We are reminded in Matthew 18:20 that, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am in the midst of them.” And what do friends do? Following Jesus’ example, friends eat together and share in each other’s lives. A shared meal is an opportunity for strangers to become friends and friends to further connect.
On average, people spend 67 minutes a day consuming food and drink. Through Jesus, however, consumption takes on a profoundly different meaning. At His table we are offered the true bread and drink of life, which are the source of eternal life (John 6). The Eucharist is our divine nourishment and it is through the Catholic Holy Mass that the sustained effects of this blessed sacrament are received and shared.
If you or a loved one are curious about the Catholic faith or feel called to become Catholic, prayerfully consider accepting an invitation to attend the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA).
You will be introduced to the history of the church, learn about the beauty of the seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church, discover the “what and why” of Catholic Christian doctrines, plus more.
Attending OCIA, previously known as RCIA, is a personal journey and does not require any obligation to join the Catholic Church. OCIA offers a welcoming opportunity where attendees, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, may discern their response to Jesus’ invitation to thrive in the Catholic Church.
The Immaculate Heart of Mary and Pope John Paul II Catholic Church are starting OCIA classes in the upcoming weeks. There will be two time slots to choose from: Sundays from 1 to 3 p.m. or Mondays from 6 to 8 p.m.
The table is set. For more information about OCIA and the Pagosa Catholic Community, please call (970) 731-5744 or visit ihmjp2.org. You may also stop by the parish office at 353 S. Pagosa Blvd. during business hours, Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon.
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