The Table

We have this little table in our home. It's a small square table with wooden legs and a glass top, originally made to be a coffee table for our living room area. This area being not too large, the table was made in such a way that it could be put away in the space under a big table in the area, to be pulled out only when we needed to use it. Well, it's been about six years now – and I can't remember a time when we actually took this table out and used it. It just gets pulled out, dusted, and pushed back. Only the other day, I was thinking that this table has been useless and a mere waste of money.

And then came Fr.Babu, to celebrate Holy Mass at home. We planned to set up the dining table for the Mass and kept a big white tablecloth ready to drape over it. But the father, taking a quick look around the room, straightaway pointed to this little table hiding under the big one, and said, 'Why don't we use this one?'

Thus, the table got pulled out, dusted and cleaned, and draped with the big white tablecloth (which, by the way, had to be folded twice). Two candles at either end; three vases of fragrant flowers lined up in front; all things for the Eucharistic celebration laid out neatly on top. It looked absolutely beautiful.The inconspicuous coffee table which I had branded 'useless', was now all adorned and ready to be the Eucharistic Table ; ready to hold up the precious Body and Blood of Christ; chosen to be the altar of the Great Sacrifice...

These thoughts have been playing in my mind ever since we had the Mass at home last Saturday. At first when they streamed in, my reaction was - 'why such a big deal about such a small matter?' But then I realized that they came with a message. About how God spots us sitting in our own hiding places, and yearns to use us for glorious purposes. Are we available? If yes, He will adorn us with all that we need. Just as He did to the little coffee table.  Praise God!