DINNER WITH JESUS
Years ago, I came up with a question which I posed to all my friends, as a
mental exercise. I asked them to come up with lists of people they would
like to invite to dinner. The dinners would be with anyone in the
universe, real or imagined. There would be seven courses: appetizers,
salad, main course, soup, vegetable, wine or coffee, and dessert, spread out
over three hours. One dinner per month, ten months of conversations, you
and the person, alone. No recording devices, no photos, no one but you
and them, alone to converse. Who would you invite?
I can remember my own list included David Bowie, and Superman, and I think
either Lincoln or Jefferson. But the most interesting entry on the list
was Jesus Christ. I think I remember saying that Jesus would do
"parables" during dinner, like pouring salt out on the table, and
wrapping himself with the table cloth and insisting on being crowned with the
bread bowl from the center of the table. It was an interesting prospect.
I believe I've changed my mind, however; I would not want to have a dinner
alone with Jesus. It isn't all the Kosher food I would have to consume,
or being compelled to wash his feet, or leave half the meal or more uneaten so
it could be distributed to the poor. No, the part of the dinner I fear is
when Jesus would look across at me from the otherwise empty table and proclaim,
"Verily, I say that one of you shall betray me."
