Linger

A few days ago at work, we had a pizza party. Shortly after the pizzas arrived, I went into the breakroom to check things out and ended up sitting down for a couple of slices before returning to my desk. (A lot of the staff was in there, and I didn't want to leave the front of our unit unattended for too long.) About 20 minutes later, one of my coworkers came back around front, and I asked her if she'd gotten some pizza. 

She said, "Aidan! I was right there. I was actually coming to sit down by you to eat, and you were gone. Just gone." 

She was right. I was trying to get back to work, but the truth is that I don't linger over food too much. I never have. I probably never will. Back in college, I could be through the cafeteria line and eat two bratwursts (on buns), a whole plate of fries, and a dessert before my roommate even got through the line and sat down. I was done eating and out the door before we even had a chance to say hello to each other in the middle of our day. 

I think a lot of the time, our Communion celebration is like this. Most churches who celebrate Communion regularly, as mine does, have the practice down to a science. We can feed 300 persons a little cracker and juice in under three minutes and get on with our service, back to our singing and preaching and teaching. 

"We now return to our regularly-scheduled services."

But if you read the story of the first Communion, the Last Supper, you'll find that it was a table to linger at. Tables, in general, were places to linger, as persons were often lying down to eat. It was a place to get comfortable, to chat a bit, to let yourself relax and settle into an entirely different kind of rhythm. 

Just look at all of the conversation that took place around the bread and the wine. Look at how the disciples had a full-on conversation, how they asked Jesus questions, how they nudged one another and gave a few little winks. How Jesus answered them and presented an entire lesson about the sacrifice that was to come. Together, they ate the bread, and they lingered - they lingered at the Table, and they lingered in the Upper Room. 

Nobody but Judas left quickly. 

Think about that for a second - for nobody but Judas was this table "quick." It wasn't just a moment; it was an experience. And an experience requires you to stay. 

What would it mean for you to linger at this table? What would it mean for you to stay awhile? What would it mean to be here long enough to share stories? To nudge elbows? To ask questions? To listen? How would it change your Communion experience if this Table was not just a place that you come, but a place that you stay? 

Will you linger a little?