Universal Table, Narrow Door
“People will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God.”
The multi-talented American Methodist minister Jan Richardson made this collage, The Best Supper, as artwork for World Communion Sunday in 2008. The almost mandala-like image resonates with the many “reclining at table in the Kingdom of God” who come from north, south, east, and west — from the whole circle of creation — which we hear Jesus talking about in this week’s Gospel.
But there is also a sharp note in Jesus’s teaching this week, and the sharp note actually dominates the pericope. There are some “outside.” Jesus says, “many…will seek to enter and will not be able.” When the door is shut, they “stand outside and knock at the door,” appealing to their previous parties with Jesus, and that they heard his teaching in the streets, but they hear from him the harsh sentence, “Depart! I never knew you.”
Richardson’s depictions in word and image capture beautifully the universal welcome and inclusion of the Table of God. She writes in a lovely 2012 poem for the same celebration: “The table will be wide. And the welcome will be wide. And the arms will open wide to gather us in. And our hearts will open wide to receive.” She omits this challenging and uncomfortable aspect of the teaching, however. Narrow is the door, and those whose experience of Jesus is only his breadth (“breadth” and “streets” are the same word in the Greek — ie those who have heard him teaching in the streets, but have not entered upon the narrow way) hear this harsh sentence.
But fear not! The “narrow way” is not earned by our moral striving, as much as we do strive to enter it, but it is given as we plead for grace, mercy, forgiveness, and salvation. We KNOW that we are unworthy to enter into this feast. We come, not on our merits, but on his mercies; not presuming but assured, for this feast is set not for “anyone,” but for sinners, who have been forgiven. Ironically, this is an even wider wideness, because when “anyone” is welcome, we all cringe under the burden of ambiguous judgement, not sure where the boundaries are that would exclude us from being a part of the RIGHT anyone. But when through forgiveness sinners are welcomed, we know we are welcome indeed, for whatever debts we carry have already been paid off, and “party fouls” we can deal with as they come.
See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.
—Hebrews 12:25
Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
Texts for This Week
Prayer
Let your continual mercy, O Lord, cleanse and defend your Church; and, because it cannot continue in safety without your help, protect and govern it always by your goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
In Christ, there is no East nor West
The legendary American folk guitarist John Fahey did this cover of the African American melody to which the text of the hymn “In Christ, there is no East nor West” is often set. From laying out the melody with simplicity and elegance, he picks up momentum and improvisational flourish, without losing the central theme of his meditation — much as the Gospel is a treasure that broadens and expands, and becomes more joyous and lifegiving as it is given away.
Fahey’s work on this album is considered epochal in the development of American guitar music. It is a fine interpretation of a beautiful melody, whose history and words both point to the mystery of what is integrated at the universal Table to which all are called, and where sinners are reconciled.
In Christ shall true hearts ev’rywhere
their high communion find.
His service is the golden cord
close binding humankind.
