Feasting Extravagant, Outrageous, Fabulous
Feasting is more than having lots of food, or lots of people. Is Christ Lord? Well then, thy feasting must amaze, even shock, by its power. Oh great glad God!
Feasting must be extravagant. It must be extra vagant. That is, it must wander, it must stray, beyond. Beyond the pale. Beyond middle class convention. Beyond Welch’s Grape Juice (the devil’s anti-sacramental juice). Beyond fear. Beyond two glasses, beyond two pints.
Feasting must be outrageous. It must be ultrageous. Your feast is the ne plus ultra of overflow, the this far and no farther that your wine must inevitably flow past. Ultra loud, ultra glad, ultra generous. The best comes out early, and it only gets better from there. It is better than best, pure raw ultrage, ultraness. Here, friend, have some more. More butter, more cream, more ale. This is not just an apple; it is not merely apple juice; it is ultra: more cider.
Feasting must be fabulous. It must be the stuff of fantasy, dreams of bounty come true for you and your guests, affirmations of plenty and gratitude for your children. God is indeed good, and here is that story: ham! This holiday is high holy day, the best day of the year. Until tomorrow, which is even better. Stories will be told of the things we do today; they will become the fables of family. This feast will be worthy of being a story, remembered next year.
Today, do not be satisfied with one glass. Have three, and that just to start. Never let your friend’s glass be empty. Be near enough to your wife to sneak some glad touches; show your children how glad it is to love. And let no shadow cloud this glad day, in Jesus’ name!