The Table Is Set: A Reflection on Communion and Community
By The Bayou Insider Staff
Luke 22:19: “Do this in remembrance of Me.”
In Louisiana, the table means something.
It’s where gumbo is stirred, stories are told, and generations gather to laugh, argue, pray, and pass the cornbread. In a state where food is sacred and hospitality is stitched into our DNA, the table is more than furniture — it’s a place of belonging.
That’s what makes the image of the Lord’s Table so powerful.
When Jesus gathered with His disciples on the night before His death, He didn’t hold a seminar or call a press conference. He served a meal.
He broke bread.
He poured wine.
He invited them to remember.
In churches across Louisiana today — whether under steeples in the city or in small rural chapels — believers still come forward, cup in hand, to take part in that same meal.
But communion isn’t just about remembering the past. It’s about living in the present — together.
Just like Sunday dinners at Grandma’s, there’s something holy about slowing down, pulling up a chair, and looking your neighbor in the eye. Jesus knew what He was doing. The Lord’s Table reminds us:
We are not alone.
We are not forgotten.
And no one — not the broken, the burdened, the doubting, or the weary — is turned away.
In a world growing more isolated by the day, the Church is called to be different.
To be a people of open doors and full tables.
To break bread together and break down walls.
To love well, eat slow, and remember that the gospel is not just preached from pulpits — it’s passed around on plates.
So this Sunday, whether you’re kneeling at an altar rail or eating crawfish with your neighbors after church, remember:
The table is sacred.
Because the One who set it is still inviting us to come and be filled.
This week, consider who needs an open chair at your table — and invite them in.
