A place at the table

Twenty-six people gathered at Sonnino Mission House in Berkeley on July 1 to celebrate the Feast of the Precious Blood. The evening brought together Missionaries, Companions, the Young Compas, and friends around the Eucharistic table to give thanks for God’s covenant love revealed in the Precious Blood of Jesus. 

The celebration was made especially joyful as Ivan Villanueva and Katrina Padaguan professed their First Covenant as Companions. The liturgy reflected on God’s enduring covenant and Christ’s invitation to a table where strangers become members of God’s household. Through the Blood of Christ, we are reconciled with God and with one another, becoming a community where all are welcome and all have a place. As Ivan and Katrina entered into covenant with our community, we prayed that they would continue to grow in charity and, through the way they live and love, help ensure that no one is left out and that everyone finds a place at the table. 

Ivan and Katrina are part of the Young Compas, a group of six young adults who have been gathering faithfully with our community over the past four years. Their First Covenant was not simply the completion of a formation program, but the natural expression of relationships nurtured through prayer, shared meals, service, and conversation. They have found a genuine sense of belonging within the spirituality and mission of the Precious Blood. 

During the celebration, I shared what a grace it has been to accompany these young adults over the past four years. I have watched them embrace Precious Blood Spirituality, deepen friendships within the community, and hone the gifts God has entrusted to them. Now, with growing confidence and generosity, they are accompanying others in their own families, workplaces, parishes, and ministries. The hospitality they have received is becoming the hospitality they now extend to others. 

That may be the greatest gift of all. When people discover that they have a place at Christ’s table, they naturally begin setting places for others. In a world where so many long to belong, the spirituality of the Precious Blood continues to form communities where no one is left out and where everyone can find a place at the table. 

David S. Matz, C.PP.S