My parents had a dining room table that, when stretched to full capacity, seated eighteen people. It was a centerpiece of our home and a place for family and friends to gather for holidays, family events, and impromptu meals. Even when the space became too small for the number of people gathered, the food and camaraderie were rich and abundant.
Such is the atmosphere encapsulated in the readings for today. Psalm 23 describes the afterglow that comes from a table spread with plenteous offerings and the ointment of blessing. While often read at funerals, this beloved psalm fits beautifully with the season of Advent. It invites reflection upon the tables that are set before us as we savor the wondrous gift of Christ’s loving presence and the abundance of God’s grace.
In underscoring divine generosity, we are invited to mimic it as well. Isn’t this what it means to “dwell in the house of the Lord” in these days of our lives? If so, where and how might we expand our own tables in order to welcome those in need of nourishment and companionship? How might we recognize the goodness and kindness that follows us as we go about our days and attune ourselves to the abiding presence of God?
May our own tables this Advent overflow with an abundance of such gifts—ones we joyfully extend to one another in a spirit of generosity and hospitality.
