Plenty Good Room
“No longer do I call you servants ... I have called you friends.”
Sieger Koder's striking painting "The Meal" offers a rich visual meditation on some of the core gospel themes we encounter in this week’s Scriptures. At its center, presiding over an abundant feast, is the unmistakable figure of Christ himself, his outstretched hands bearing the marks of the crucifixion. The diverse array of faces gathered around the table vividly depicts God's radically inclusive embrace transcending all ethnic, cultural and social boundaries. From the couple enraptured in an embrace, to the solitary figure in contemplative prayer, to those who can barely reach the table's bounty, all have a place and all are welcomed into the shared nourishment of this sacred meal.
The sheer abundance of provisions laid out captures the generosity of God's provision in both spiritual and physical realms. Simple bread and wine intermingle with lush fruits, bountiful fish, and a bowl suggestive of the heavenly manna that sustained the Israelites. As our eyes take in these lavish supplies, the painting invites us to marvel at the One who opened the miraculous way in the wilderness and multiplied a few loaves into thousands. Just as Christ satisfied the deepest hunger of the crowds, so too does he offer the true bread and living water that sustains us eternally.
Ultimately, Koder's vibrant scene draws our gaze to the very center of divine love. The sacrificed body and outpoured blood of Christ, foreshadowed in the bread and wine, gather us together as one people redeemed. As we behold this striking image, may we be moved afresh by the extravagant hospitality modeled at this table of grace. And may we embrace the calling to go and extend that same radical welcome and life-giving nourishment to all.
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.
—1John 4:18
Sixth Sunday of Easter
Texts for Today
Prayer
O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Plenty Good Room
The James Cleveland version of "Plenty Good Room" takes this traditional African-American spiritual and appropriates to especially highlight God's lavish hospitality and invitation for all to experience the fullness of the heavenly banquet. While other renditions incorporate stern warnings against sin (for instance, the Kirby Shaw edition, popular among performance Gospel choirs, like this one), Cleveland's interpretation maintains a warm, celebratory tone from start to finish. The joyful refrains of "plenty good room" create an expansive, welcoming atmosphere: there is no finger-wagging here, only an exuberant beckoning to come and secure your place in the Father's kingdom.
By removing the cautionary verses, Cleveland pivots the spiritual's message. Rather than admonishing sinners, the lyrics focusing on an enticing portrait of the sumptuous provisions awaiting us as honored guests. We hear of "long white robes," "golden slippers," and "starry crowns" - tactile images that evoke the extravagant hospitality and abundance represented by the laden table before us. It's as if Cleveland wants to whet our appetites for the inexhaustible riches and delights prepared for those who accept the divine invitation. If we still “choose our seats” to sit down in, there’s no pressure or anxiety about how we are supposed to punch our ticket.
Such gracious plenty serves to illuminate just how lavish God's love and welcoming embrace truly is. That such a royal feast is bestowed on the undeserving only underscores the shocking reality at the heart of the gospel - that while we were yet sinners, Christ gave himself up so we might take our place at the eternal banquet. The effusive language of plenty and heavenly trappings points us ultimately to the Cross, where divine hospitality reached its supreme expression.
Through his joyful, vivid interpretation, James Cleveland’s "Plenty Good Room" is the most appropriately Eastery version in my estimation: a radiant celebration of God's extravagant welcome and provision for all people through the grace of Christ. No scolding tones remain, only the infectious invitation to gratefully accept our seat at the table.
