Today at our church, we did something wonderfully unexpected that'll stay with me a long time.We shared communion. And it was a party!
At this church, the opportunity to participate in communion happens smack dab in the middle of the worship service each week. In order to mix things up, the actual observance of communion cycles between passing the plate with the thimbleful of Biblical Welch's Grape Juice/fragments of matzo and inviting people to come to a table set with a little bowlful of aforementioned juice and a plateful of matzo pieces.
But today, the congregation was invited to a very different kind of communion celebration. At the close of the service, while the pastor was praying, someone uncovered two long tables covered with all varieties of bread: matzo, dense french bread, sweet breads, dark breads...and grapes...and chocolate! There was a table set with bottles of sparkling grape juices as well.
The ritual solemnity with which we Christians usually participate in communion was absent this morning. In my head, I've known these verses for a long time:
At His final Passover Seder on earth, Jesus said: "After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." - Luke 22:17-18
Fast forward to the end of the story, where the angels proclaim: "Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready." - Rev. 19:7
And in my head, I've known that communion is SO MUCH MORE than a Barbie-sized religious snack. (Even wrote a little piece about this very subject for Group magazine a couple of years ago.) A lot of the meditations out there to help people engage with communion tend to target our cognitive response to God. "Oh yeah," we say. "I must now remember that this little cracker fragment and sip of room-temperature juice is meant to help me remember that I'm supposed to remember...uh...Jesus died on the cross for me."
This morning, people of all ages were taking handfuls of chocolate and grapes, sampling breads, pouring sparkling juice into clear glasses. This morning's celebration, communion with a group of a group of happy, surprised people smiling, laughing and actually eating and drinking together was an experience that burned itself onto my heart.
This'll be an experience that I "bring to active remembrance" when I participate with Jesus as I share communion with Him and others in the future.
Celebrating! Tasting grace! It made me soul-hungry for the real thing - the party in heaven.
But you know what? I think Jesus enjoyed the party at the church this morning.
6 comments:
I heard my husband chuckle over the computer.
"What?" I asked.
"Michelle's blog."
I didn't even know you had a blog, although given your (a)vocation, I should have figured.
It was the Biblical Welch's grape juice that got him.
I read all your blogs, so now I am on track, and I too enjoyed your party at church. Thanks.
It brought back memeories of communion at Wheaton College when the theater "workout group" met twice a week in the dark and holy basement of the freshman dorm. We were having communion with a crusty french loaf and grape juice (hey, it was Wheaton College!). As we passed the loaf and tore off our pieces, my friend Jana, an oversized red head with a wonderful throaty laugh and wicked sense of humor, pulled off a large three or four bite sized piece. Several other of us had taken good sized hunks as well, but she put it into words, "Hey, if this is the body of Christ, I want as much as I can get." Amen!
What I love about communion most is the host. We do use those little wafer things stamped with a cross, but I mean the host who hands me the bread. It is in the flesh a loved member of our congregation, sometimes even my husband, who hands the wafer to me and says, "Maribeth, take and eat. The body of Christ broken for you," but in my mind and spirit it is Jesus handing me that bread, and tipping the cup to my lips. And even though I am theologically not terribly Lutheran, it is a means of grace to me.
We use real wine - lovely, sweet, unsophisticated Mogan David, which I'm sure is what Jesus drank. I remember in England when I had my first drink of wine for communion and almost choked. It was so strong and firey going down my usually sugar coated palate. I loved how it rememinded me of the wild fire of God pouring into us.
Thank you Lord, for supping with us.
I wish I could take credit for the "Biblical Welch's Grape Juice" thing, but I think I read it years ago in the Wittenberg Door.
Great summary, Michelle. I was excited to be a part of it, too.
Peace, Matt
i posted on my blog in resonse to yours. :o) hope indiana was great for you! thanks for everything meish, you're the best!
p.s. i love reading your stuff.
and by stuff i mean your writing. i wrote stuff because i just heard it on the t.v. but i meant your writing, because your writing is so much more than stuff ... i'm going to bed. it's late. i can't think. and i'm rambling.
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