Learning the art of The Long Meal

In the Jewish household the dining room table is seen as an altar. 'Time spent around the table with each other is time spent with God." - Velvet Elvis. I finished reading Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell this morning and at the very end he is talking about how important it is to commune with one another, to feast and party, and to spend quality time together around a good meal.
This is a strange view in our culture today, seeing the table as an altar, as a place to meet with God through those around us. I think about the table in my house right now. Covered with books, junk mail, trash. Nothing to suggest a place to meet with God. We have taken for granted this special place in our home. This place to see God in all His glory living through those around us. When we come together with food and we share ourselves, our joy and pain, doubts, questions, fears, we become naked before one another and we see Jesus working and living and loving! We have forgotten that EVERYTIME we come together with food we are taking communion, taking in Jesus, consuming Him!
We need to remember the importance of the common meal, the "Eucharist." We need to learn the "art of the long meal," sharing and enjoying one anothers presence, delighting in each other. We need to dust off our altars and get into this mindset of bringing God to the table with us through our reality and finding joy and peace in this experience!