Set up the table!
Rhona Cathcart
March 11, 2026
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John 4: 39-40 (NIV-UK)
39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I’ve ever done.’ 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days.
On a whim (I’m prone to those) I decided this year to try learning a little Farsi. This is in part because I like a linguistic challenge, in part because I’ve read a bit of Persian history, and in part because I enjoy being able to read bits of literature in their original languages. In this case, I decided it would be good to challenge myself to read a line or two of 13th century poet Rumi in Farsi by the end of the year.
So far, I only really know how to introduce myself and others; ask how they are and if they would like coffee, tea, water or to come for dinner; haggle for prices and borrow money from a friend; and tell someone they are speaking too quickly. I’m not sure if Rumi covered any of these topics. He did, however, often write about spiritual longing using imagery of love, wine and music.
As I thought about Jesus setting up his temporary table and telling the disciples not to rush off but to focus on the local Samaritans, spiritually thirsty and longing for more, I ran across these lines from Rumi (in English!):
“This is now. Now is. Don’t postpone till then. Spend the spark of iron on stone. Sit at the head of the table. Dip your spoon in the bowl. Seat yourself next to your joy and have your awakened soul pour wine.”
The Samaritans and the Jews were neighbours, rivals, often outright enemies. But Jesus set up his table among them and poured a kind of wine that awakened their souls.
May the wine of peace and reconciliation flow in Rumi’s birthplace and ancestral homeland, which today we know as Afghanistan and Iran.
Prayer:
God of peace
Sit us next to our joy
At a table with those we thought were enemies
Dip our spoons into a shared bowl
of dialogue, of reconciliation,
And pour for us all the wine that will awaken our souls.
Amen
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