And the Table Will Be Wide

Yesterday I shared this beautiful invitation with my new church family at The Riverside Church–these are words worth hearing again.

Today was World Communion Sunday.  As an invitation to the table I used Jan Richardson‘s beautiful poem, And the Table Will Be Wide.

I loved it so much I am thinking we should use it every communion Sunday.

And the Table Will Be Wide

A Blessing for World Communion Sunday

And 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.

And we will come

as children who trust

there is enough.

And we will come

unhindered and free.

And our aching

will be met

with bread.

And our sorrow

will be met

with wine.

And we will open our hands

to the feast

without shame.

And we will turn

toward each other

without fear.

And we will give up

our appetite

for despair.

And we will taste

and know

of delight.

And we will become bread

for a hungering world.

And we will become drink

for those who thirst.

And the blessed

will become the blessing.

And everywhere

will be the feast.