A Very Special Meal

[Guest guest]

Once there was a very poor and devoted woman who always prayed to the

Glory of God, asking very little, if anything for herself. But one

thought, one desire continued to recur and finally she asked:

petitioning the Lord, that if it were possible she would love to

prepare a special meal and have God share at her table. And God, in

His Love for this goodly woman, said He would indeed come the next day

and share a meal.

 

Filled with ecstasy, the woman went out the following morning with her

meager purse and purchased such delicacies that she felt would please

the Lord.

 

Returning home, she prepared a banquet and waited patiently for her

most honored guest. Soon there was a knock on the door, and when she

opened it, there stood an old beggar asking for something to eat.

Being a woman of God, she could not turn the beggar away, so she

invited him in to partake of her table. The beggar felt as if he was

in a dream - such a feast set before him. He finished all the food,

thanked his hostess and left.

 

The woman was only slightly disheartened, she gathered up her purse,

her coat, and hurried back to town to get more food for her special

guest. Her funds were less now and so the food was not quite so

elaborate. Nonetheless, she lovingly prepared another meal and sat to

await the arrival of the Almighty.

 

A few hours went by and there was a loud knock on the door. This time

it was an old gypsy woman with no teeth, who was deaf, who spoke quite

loudly and was, rather rudely, insisting that any true believer in the

Lord would not deny her something to eat.

 

Though the woman had no more money with which to buy more supplies,

she invited the woman in and offered her a seat at the table. The

gypsy ate everything, did not even thank the woman and left without

closing the door.

 

By now it was beginning to get dark both inside and out. The woman's

faith was strong, so that, though somewhat distraught, she did not

give up, but rather, looked around her humble house to see if there

was anything she could sell in order to buy more food to set before

the Lord.

 

She hurried to town with a little silver cup that had been in her

family for several generations, but she was willing to part with it

for the great honor that God was going to bestow on her - the sharing

of a meal.

 

Late in the night she rushed home to prepare yet a third meal. She

waited and waited until, once more, there was a knock on the door.

Holding her breath, she slowly opened the door to find yet another

poor man in the guise of a wandering monk, in search of a meal.

 

Again, she offered hospitality, with as much grace as she could muster

in her disappointment. This man also ate all that was set on the table

and left after blessing the woman for her kindness. So discouraged and

dismayed was she that all she could do was nod slightly, in

acknowledgment of the thanks.

 

Now it was too late, with no way to buy any more food and no more

money with which to buy it. She got down on her knees, weeping such

heart-broken tears. She asked God what she had done wrong. Why had God

not come to share at the table as He had promised?

 

And God, in all His Divine Compassion and Mercy, lifted the woman off

her knees, and holding her close to His Heart, said, " My child, I

enjoyed your hospitality so much that I came three times! "

 

Stay happy,peaceful n blessed.