Empty Banquet Table

The youth ministers in the area took me to lunch today, which was very gracious. All of them are Protestant youth ministers, most of them Reformed Church or Christian Reformed. One of them mentioned that he's just not sure he's doing ministry for the right reasons.

He began talking about how he feels like everything he does he does because he is supposed to do it, not because he has any kind of passion for it. Working for a church he questions why he is there when he's not even sure about his relationship with God. He said that he lack discipline and desire in his faith walk.

I couldn't help but think about the Sacraments. I know that plenty of Saints have talked about feeling dry and passionless. I know that our walk with God is not all bubbly and mountaintop experiences. But I just couldn't help but wonder if the table of a Protestant is emptier than ours. They don't have much to hang on to, much to survive, much to be fed by.

We have such a variety of prayer styles, we have Reconciliation, we have Jesus's Body to consume as well as adore. We have saints of all sorts-we just have such a full banquet table to be fed by.

I so wanted to offer him that as a possible solution, and as the various well-meaning ministers batted around a few ideas and anecdotes, I found myself wishing for him a fuller table from which to eat.

I did offer to him that if he'd keep me in prayer, for direction in life, I'd keep him in prayer, for direction for him. He's fasting right now, which tells me he is serious in his search for God. I'll say Rosaries for him as well-which to me is just kinda funny. If only he knew what he could have. If only they all knew. They are all such great people. I wish so much that I were staying around so that I could be more of a witness to them.