When Your Friend Has Been Wounded by the Church

by Robin Jones Gunn

Do you have a close friend who is “deconstructing her faith”? I felt nudged to touch on this topic in my newest Suitcase Sisters novel, Gelato at the Villa. Stories show us truth and challenge us to a deeper understanding of others and ourselves. Perhaps that’s why Jesus taught so many lifechanging lessons using parables.

In this story, two longtime friends, Grace and Claire, go to Italy and take a cooking class from Amelia. The scene below is a conversation with Amelia’s Italian husband that opens a door for Claire to later share with Grace why she stepped away from everything she used to believe. 

We ate slowly under the twinkle lights that lined the pergola and with the glow of the votives that ran the length of the table. No need to rush. Everything tasted delicious, hot or cooled.

Amelia translated Gio’s words for Rosie and us. He had lots to say about the food and his love for his wife.

Claire asked questions about the renovations they had made to the villa, and both Amelia and Gio told us stories of crumbling walls, broken water pipes, and people in the community, like Raphael, who helped out.

“I love that we can now share this beautiful place with people from around the world,” Amelia said first in English and then in Italian.

Gio pointed at us and said something.

“He loves this too,” Amelia translated. “He loves gathering around the table. It’s his passion to see people coming together for a feast.”

“Our hostess in Venice said that you don’t get old at the table,” Claire said. “I feel that way tonight.”

“It felt that way when Gio and I first met at a dinner.” Amelia smiled at her husband.

Gio said something more. I drew in a deep breath, trying to memorize the scents that surrounded us. I wanted all the fragrances of that evening to attach themselves to my memory of this moment, this conversation.

Amelia nodded. “He says we are telling the story of the feast written about in the last chapters of the world’s most important book.”

I put the clues together and said, “The wedding feast of the Lamb?”

“Yes.” Amelia’s expression lit up. “Exactly.”

“Sì, sì.” Gio started talking rapidly.

“My romantic husband sees moments like this, around the table, as an enactment of a holy event that is yet to come. The wedding feast of the Lamb. On that day the Bridegroom will be united with His bride. In a way, we are acting it out every time we gather at the table.”

I felt a shiver tickle the back of my neck.

“I think I lost something in the translation,” Claire said.

“You know how Jesus refers to Himself as the Bridegroom,” Amelia said.

Claire didn’t reply.

“Well, at the end of the Bible, in the book of Revelation, is a description of His beautiful bride coming to Him and the great wedding feast.”

Claire gave her a wary look. “If you’re saying what I think you’re saying and the ‘bride’ is somehow a representation of Christians or anything that has to do with the church, I have a hard time believing ‘she’ is going to be beautiful by the time she gets to the feast. I mean, she is not exactly attractive from where I’m looking at her. That’s just my experience.”

Rosie had been surprisingly quiet for most of our dinner. She suddenly had lots to say. “It is a pleasant thought, though, isn’t it? Gathering around the table for a feast at the end of all things would be lovely. And to be with humans who actually want to be with each other and be kind would be divine. But I agree with Claire. Religion through the ages has not been attractive. I don’t see where a bride is going to come from who could be considered beautiful.”

Amelia smiled as Gio spoke in a reverent tone. “Gio says every bride is beautiful on her day. And you are right. The bride of Christ is not beautiful today. But you see”—Amelia leaned closer—“today is not her day.”

. . .

Claire and I sat in a calm quiet, gazing at the moonlit hillside. Above us, acres of twinkling stars appeared in the deep velvet sky.

“Do you really believe?” Claire asked. “In heaven? In a big wedding feast? I mean, truly?”

“Yes, I do.”

“How do you know it isn’t all just a big story?”

“It is a big story. It’s the story. God’s story.”

“It seems to be retold everywhere here in Italy,” Claire said. “And in a variety of art forms. For centuries.”

I nodded.

Claire stared into the shadowy garden. “Grace? I think I should tell you something.”

Robin Jones Gunn is the bestselling author of over 100 books. Her Suitcase Sisters novels are set around the world where two close friends go on an adventure and find that God is much bigger than they ever understood before. She co-hosts the “Women Worth Knowing” podcast and is a frequent keynote speaker. Robin and her husband live in southern California. www.robingunn.com