In a tiny, unassuming storefront in Montepulciano, Italy, a meal was served that Mary and I relished. Even now, nearly eight weeks after the event.
Dinner was served in two shifts at Osteria Acquacheta. The first seating at 7:30PM, the second at 9:30PM. Fortunately, we were able to secure a spot in the earlier dinner hour, along with roughly 40 other folks.
Mary sat across from me, while complete strangers sat on either side of us. The sacrificed privacy was worth it.
This was a place where a meal was art. The food preparation. The service. Even the ordering process was under-automated. Paper, pens and Italian accented explanations were all a part of the unforgettable recipe.
The restaurant staff worked in an open kitchen up a short flight of stairs in the back of the antiquated building.
The owner of the restaurant acted more like a host than a businessman. In fact, at the conclusion of our meal, as Euros were exchanged, the owner pulled out his pen and wrote on the paper table covering in front of me. He talked through every element of the meal, and then scribbled the expense on the paper. A line at the bottom, and then a total.
A meal. An experience. An indelibly etched memory. Food as a catalyst for conversation. Lingering as the expectation. Stories as the currency for entertainment.
We learned. We listened.
We’re still learning. Not just from Osteria Acquacheta, but from Jesus.
Meals amplified the message of Jesus. In fact, some of Christ’s most profound lessons were taught around a table. Some of His most important work… over a meal.
Unhurried questions. Compassionate listening. Direct and thoughtful confrontation. Some he nourished, others he offended. Always authentically. With character.
Often, it’s the word “fast” that describes our eating pattern. We fuel up like a race team at the Indianapolis 500. On the run. Function first. All the while our stomachs are being fed, our souls starve.
In Montepulciano, we savored.
And
as we savored, we discovered. New tastes. New aromas. New friends. And yes,
even after 46 years of marriage, new ways to delight in each other.
Over a meal. In a meal. Through a meal.
The way of Jesus. A dinner table, not as a means to an end.
In the next month, there will be many meals. Designate some for lingering.
Garnish some with generous portions of questions and stories. Maybe even
include others who don’t typically put their feet under your table.
In Italy I discovered the sweet connection between my stomach and my heart.
Rich in flavor. Deep in meaning.
Jesus. Around our table. With lessons to teach. Blessed, broken, and given. A
nourished body, and a healthy soul.
Intentional. Deliberate. A gift worth guarding. A reservation at 7:30.
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