The Lord’s Table

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You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies . . .
—Psalm 23:5

From the day that we commit our lives to Jesus Christ, everything
changes for us. Gone was that ever-present guilt that used to nag us
day and night. There is no longer an empty hole deep inside of our
soul. In the place of those things, God gave us what is best described
as the peace that surpasses all human understanding. God placed a new
joy in our hearts and gave us the hope of heaven when we die.

But in our relationship with Christ, we also gained enemies. That is
what David is saying in Psalm 23:5, “You prepare a table for me in the
presence of my enemies . . . ” You see, we as Christians face three
primary enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil. The world with
its enticements is the external enemy. The flesh with its
vulnerabilities and appetites is the internal enemy. The devil working
with these two foes is the infernal enemy. Combined they are a powerful
adversary.

The best antidote against this powerful, unholy trinity of the world,
the flesh, and the devil is an intimate relationship with the Shepherd,
as we feed at His table. When we sit at the table of the Lord, we are
satisfied because we know everything we need is there. And we don’t
hunger for anything else. I’m not saying that Christians are temptation
proof. What I am saying is that we are no longer as drawn to temptation
as we used to be. We see the world for what it is—a cheap imitation of
the truth.

As Christians, we can feast at the Lord’s table and no longer desire
the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil. God has
prepared a table before us.
 
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Ric:
As Christians, we can feast at the Lord’s table and no longer desire the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
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And as Catholic Christians, we can do this daily!
 
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FrmrTrad:
All Christians have the mass?
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No one has the “mass” (as it is known and taught in the Roman Catholic tradition), not even the Roman Catholic church. The Roman mass is a man made tradition which is unbiblical.
 
The Mass is absolutely the most biblical prayer there is! I loved reading Scott Hahn’s book “The Lamb’s Supper!” WOW! Revelations just opens up and you see the beauty of the Mass on every page!
 
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Ric:
No one has the “mass” (as it is known and taught in the Roman Catholic tradition), not even the Roman Catholic church. The Roman mass is a man made tradition which is unbiblical.
Click to expand...
Hi Ric! Okay, I didn’t realize that you were writing from that point of view. I thought you meant table the way I would have meant it, so I was adding to your enthusiasm. I see you really mean “table”. Anyway, there are apologetics on this site; have you tried any? What do you think about “this is my body” etc., and not comforting those who turned away saying ‘oh it’s just a metaphor don’t worry!’. What about the fact that Jesus is the perfect male lamb we eat, just as the Jews ate a male lamb? What about the correspondence between Revelation (the book) and the Catholic mass? Any other thoughts?
 
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Ric:
The Roman mass is a man made tradition which is unbiblical.
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Hi Ric! I just thought to mention that there is some truth in what you say. Before my fellow Catholics clobber me, let me explain: Our Lord did not expressly specify all details of all sacraments. He was with the apostles for 40 days, and unfolded the Scriptures for them, but He did not specify every aspect of form and matter for all the sacraments. Some things He left to the apostles to work out. It’s part of the Church having the keys: the apostles (and who hears them hears Him) have authority, and their anointed successors, to carry on with the Church. So some things are “man made” but always in conformity with the teachings of Our Lord, and always consistent with what Our Lord originated. The mass, for example, is obviously what Our Lord indicated we should do in remembrance of Him. Our prayers during the mass encapsulate many aspects of how and what the Christians prayed, and what the theology teaches. In some sense it is man made, but it is God-ordered, and God expects us to carry on with the Church He gave us.
 
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