Bonhoeffer on Table Fellowship
Some of Bonhoeffer's comments on table fellowship are an especially good challenge of what the mealtime can be.
"The fellowship of table has a festive quality. It is a constantly recurring reminder in the midst of our every day work of God's resting after His work, of the Sabbath as the meaning and goal of the week and its toil. Our life is not only travail and labor, it is also refreshment and joy in the goodness of God. We labor, but God nourishes and sustains us. And this is reason for celebrating...Through our daily meals He is calling us to rejoice, to keep holiday in the midst of our working day." Life Together, 68.
"The fellowship of table has a festive quality. It is a constantly recurring reminder in the midst of our every day work of God's resting after His work, of the Sabbath as the meaning and goal of the week and its toil. Our life is not only travail and labor, it is also refreshment and joy in the goodness of God. We labor, but God nourishes and sustains us. And this is reason for celebrating...Through our daily meals He is calling us to rejoice, to keep holiday in the midst of our working day." Life Together, 68.