Those who are blessed with large families are so well trained in the act of feeding many people that the art of "entertaining" must come easily--and quite naturally--to them, even after their children have flown the coup.
Recently, Michael and I received an invitation from a wonderful Catholic couple in their 60s to gather at their house for supper and to meet other young married couples in the Church. They have 5 adult children together, but none of them would be present. This gathering was, in many ways, just for us and those like us (being newlyweds). Bringing people together is, perhaps, their very charism.
In any case, we eagerly accepted their invitation. We started off in their living room, sitting by the fire, sharing stories about how God led each of us to meet our spouse. Soon, we moved to the dining room and enjoyed a wonderful, home-cooked meal where we continued to discuss our faith. This experience was something that people probably did lots of, one or two generations ago. This particular couple continues that tradition -- and quite regularly, I'm discovering. Almost every evening, they have someone coming over. What a wonderful way to view your dinner table! It's a place of ministry!
We laughed and talked and dined until Midnight. For those moments that we were there, it felt like the world was moving a little slower and a little more calmly. :)
