Title

Week One: Setting the Table for Betrayers

Theme

Welcoming the unwanted

Scripture

“But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table.”  - Luke 22:21-23 -

Culinary Symbolism for the Meal Ahead

Lentils: A humble, ancient staple often associated with mourning
(Genesis 25:34) and simplicity—perfect for the start of Lent.

Herbs: Incorporating bitter greens (like dandelion or arugula)
to subtly reflect the bitterness of betrayal.

Barley Bread: A common, affordable bread in biblical times
(John 6:9), symbolizing provision even in scarcity.

First Reading Reflection

At the very meal where Jesus gave us the model of communion, betrayal was already present. Judas ate the bread and drank from the cup.

How does that disrupt our assumptions about who deserves a place at the table?

Jesus invited him, knowing precisely who Judas was and what his purpose was going to be, yet still broke bread with him.

On a human level: that is wild!

This first week, we consider the radical hospitality of Christ—who did not uninvite Judas, even knowing what was coming. A place was set for him nonetheless.

It is a strange thing to begin Lent by setting the table for Judas.
Everything in us resists this move. We want to identify with the faithful ones.

We want to believe that if we had been there, seated with Jesus at that final meal, we would have been the ones leaning in close, asking good questions, staying awake in the garden.

But Lent, if nothing else, is a time for honest reflection. And honesty requires us to admit that we, too, have betrayed. We, too, have abandoned. We, too, have sat at tables while quietly making our exit strategies.

And still, Jesus invited Judas to the meal. He washed Judas’ feet.
He broke bread and passed the cup, knowing what Judas would do next.

Why would he do that?

This first week of Lent, we start with the unsettling reality that
Jesus’ table was never meant for perfect people.
It was, and is, a table where the betrayer sits next to the
beloved, where denial shares space with devotion.

In a world obsessed with protecting our comfort and security,
Jesus invites us to practice a hospitality that risks being hurt.

What if Lent wasn’t about proving our devotion but about acknowledging
the ways we, too, have failed—and still finding ourselves welcomed to the table?
What if the point of this season is not just self-examination but the re-making of the community
we’ve fractured with our fear, our betrayal, our silence?

Table Practice

This week, prepare a simple meal
bread and soup will do.

Nothing extravagant.
Just enough to gather people, or even just yourself.

Before you eat,
place an empty chair at the table.

Let it stand for the person
you have written off.

Maybe it’s someone who hurt you.
Maybe it’s someone you’ve hurt.

Maybe it’s Judas himself, haunting the edges of your community,
always the cautionary tale but never the redeemed brother.

Read aloud Luke 22:21-23

Then ask:
Who is missing from our table?
Who have we quietly disinvited from our lives?

Share, if you can.
Listen, if you can’t.

And then eat together, knowing that Jesus still feeds us all.

Writing Prompt for the Week

What table are you being called to set in this season?

Who do you need to make room for?

Post Week Reflection

We look forward to hearing about your reflections on these experiences each week.

Journal daily and share a piece of your journey with us that you feel comfortable sharing.

Feel free to email your responses to us at [email protected]

You  help make our voice.

Together WE collectively make up The Welcome Table.

Your voice IS important.

Please use proper discretion and appropriate conduct when discussing in open forums.

Week One: Lentil and Herb Stew with Rustic Barley Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried lentils (green or brown), rinsed
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 2 parsnips, diced (optional)
• 6 cups vegetable broth (or water with salt)
• 2 cups chopped bitter greens (dandelion, kale, or arugula)
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• Fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro), for garnish

Directions:

• In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, sauté until softened.
• Add carrots and parsnips; cook for 5 minutes.
• Stir in lentils, cumin, and coriander. Add broth and bring to a simmer.
• Cover and cook for 30-35 minutes, until lentils are tender.
• Add chopped greens, cooking for another 5 minutes.
• Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Drizzle olive oil on top before serving.
• Garnish with fresh herbs. Serve warm with barley bread.