A very special host

Major Iris Leech concludes her two-part study

‘CHRIST is the head of this house; the unseen guest at every meal, the silent listener to every conversation.’ Many people will remember these words, which used to be emblazoned on our walls – a reminder of Christ’s omnipresence and omniscience.

How seriously, though, do we take this declaration? How would we feel if faced with the presence of the Almighty at our breakfast table?

This came to mind when I stumbled across a Bible account of God being present at a meal with his people on Mount Sinai (see Exodus 24:9–11).

The Mount Sinai experience is, for me, one of the most remarkable meal-sharing incidents recorded in the Bible. Moses, Aaron and Aaron’s two eldest sons – along with 70 elders of Israel – went up Mount Sinai, at God’s request, to share a meal in his presence; to confirm and ratify the covenant he had made with his people.

This is all the more remarkable because we also read that no one can see God and live (Exodus 33:20). To even trespass on the holy mountain was strictly forbidden for fear of God’s wrath, resulting in death (Exodus 19:12).

We are perhaps more familiar with the New Testament accounts – recorded in all four Gospels (Matthew 14:13–21; Mark 6:30–44; Luke 9:10–17; John 6:1–13) – of Jesus hosting a picnic and miraculously feeding 5,000 people with just 5 barley loaves and 2 fish. At another picnic Jesus hosted, 4,000 people were fed from 7 loaves and a few fish (Matthew 15:29–38; Mark 8:1–9).

At a post-resurrection appearance, he hosts breakfast on the beach for the perplexed disciples (John 21:1–15).

We cannot think about Christ hosting a meal without recalling to mind the Last Supper, which Jesus shared with his disciples before the Crucifixion (John 13 to 17). He told them – and us – that when we have a meal, we are to remember his sacrifice and suffering on our behalf.

This incident is beautifully depicted in the painting by Leonardo da Vinci. As an avid listener to Radio 4, I was intrigued to hear a recent production by food writer Stefan Gates, who investigated da Vinci’s masterpiece, painted between 1496 and 1498 and restored in 1997. It covers the entire wall at one end of the refectory of the Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan.

Although the radio programme focused on ‘What did Jesus eat?’, investigations revealed that the leavened bread and wine glasses on the table in the painting would not be associated with the Jewish Passover meal. Nor was there any sign of lamb, which traditionally would have been eaten at the Passover. There was, however, the suggestion of grilled eels and sliced oranges – food that would have been eaten at the time the painting was commissioned.

There was further speculation about the position of the painting in the refectory. It is positioned as the head table; those partaking of their meal in the refectory would have been seated at tables along the sides of the room, with another long table at the opposite end of the room facing the painting.

The idea was mooted that the painting was thus positioned to show that Jesus was sharing in the same food that the residents would have been eating. It would have acted as a reminder that Christ was with them, that he was their guest at mealtimes. What an impact that would have had on those diners – and what a message for us today, that the risen Christ is the guest at our meal table!

When we say grace before our meal, we remember that Christ is the unseen guest, listening to our conversation, helping us see life in a different perspective through the presence of the Holy Spirit, guiding and directing our thinking.

It is a wonderful thought that we share our meals in Christ’s presence, and that one day we will be sharing with him in the Kingdom of God.

The party has already begun! In the parable of the lost sheep, Jesus says: ‘I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need to repent’ (Luke 15:7 New International Version).

When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!
(SASB 892)

• Major Leech is corps officer at Worthing