A Great Celebration

By: Ivonne J. Hernandez

​Hospitality is one of the charisms my husband and I share, both individually, and as a couple. People often tell us that they just feel comfortable in our home. As hosts, we do not get stressed out. We do not rush from the table to clean up; we don’t fuss over a spilled drink or a burnt side dish. Once our guests arrive, it is all about the time we share together. It is about telling stories while creating new ones. It is about living. It is about love. But hospitality begins way before anyone shows up--it begins with an invitation. 

“A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many…” (Luke 14:16)

​“What can I bring?” This is usually the first thing I hear right after someone accepts an invitation to join us at our home for dinner. Why is this? Some might say it is the result of social expectations--we are taught it is not polite to show up anywhere empty-handed. But I think there is more to this “almost” universal response. Like a great choir or symphony, our communities are more than just the sum of its parts. We are meant to participate, to belong. We are not extras in a film. Each one of us has something we bring to the table, be it the physical one or the metaphorical one. But we don’t get to choose what we need to bring. We need to know what is needed, what is required of us. 

“When the time for the dinner came, he dispatched his servant to say to those invited, ‘Come, everything is now ready.’” (Luke 14:17)
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​I heartily dislike potlucks. By a potluck I mean a table with a procession of slow cookers, each with a surprise dish behind every lid. The result? Dishes that do not go together piled next to each other on a plate. I prefer it when someone is directing, and the parts come together in beautiful harmony. A host can ask guests to bring something in particular. It is even better when they are asked to bring something they love to make--something they will be happy to share and feel proud of. The end result, rather than a collection of individual dishes, is a beautiful meal--a true celebration. 

“As God has enriched us with so many gifts, we must thank him. The Eucharist is thanksgiving par excellence.” (St. Peter Julian Eymard)
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​As Eucharistic people we have been called and invited to a banquet. The King of the Universe has prepared the table. Each one of us is invited to share of ourselves, but not haphazardly, without direction. We do not rely on luck for a well-balanced table. The Host knows our strengths and weaknesses and wants to weave us together for the great celebration. More than the sum of our parts, we bring our unique gifts to become a new creation. We share of ourselves and are satisfied in the great celebration. 

“In the Eucharist is the supreme goodness. Jesus is there with all his divine attributes, his infinite power, infinite majesty, infinite wisdom, infinite knowledge; Jesus is with his infinite holiness and all the virtues he practiced in the days of his mortal life. He is there with all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, because, in principle it is from Jesus, that the Holy Spirit receives the gifts he gives us.“ (St. Peter Julian Eymard)
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You have received the invitation… Will you attend? What are you bringing? Oh, and bring a friend! There is always room at the table.

“The servant reported, ‘Sir, your orders have been carried out and still there is room.’ The master then ordered the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled.” (Luke 14:22-23)
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Ivonne J. Hernandez

Ivonne is a Catholic wife, mother, Lay Associate of the Blessed Sacrament, and President of Elisheba House. She is also a speaker and writer, with her book The Rosary: Eucharistic Meditations to her name. Ivonne regularly contributes to CatholicMom.com and the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament's Daily Eucharistic Reflection. Her writing has also appeared in publications such as Emmanuel Publishing and Shalom Magazine. Alongside her husband, Rick Hernandez, she coordinates the RCIA program at their home parish. A lover of choral music, Ivonne is a member of the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. She and her husband live in Trinity, FL, with two of their young adult sons.