The following is a guest post
for which I am incredibly thankful
as I participate in the Compassion Conference this
week!
This post was written by my friend, Emily Greenhalge,
whom I met through some online discussion groups.
Emily is the pastor of discipleship and small groups
at GracePointe Church of the Nazarene
where she has been serving for five years,
figuring out the "calling thing"
as she travels through life with her family,
fueled by coffee!
*****
Some people call it Eucharist, or the Lord's Supper, or
Communion. Each of these names is
important, each of them meaningful. The
mystery of the body and blood found in the elements of communion is a topic of
much discussion and has been for centuries.
Most agree it is a means of grace, but we all have a different
perspective on what that means. Some say
the elements physically or spiritually change into the body and blood of Christ
as we partake. Others say they merely
represent the body and blood, that any deeper meaning is dependent on our own
spiritual condition and understanding.
In between lies a spectrum of folks who deny that the substance of the
elements change but affirm the presence of Christ in the act of partaking.
Whatever you believe about it, we agree it is sacred.
Jesus gathered his friends around the table at Passover and
explained what was about to happen.
"This is my body," he said.
"It will be broken for you.""This is my blood, poured out
as a new covenant." In those
statements, Jesus not only made clear that the new covenant would be rooted in
his death; he also made clear that all
of his disciples were welcome at the table.
Peter, who would deny Jesus three times that very night, was welcome at
the table. Thomas, who would be called
the doubter because he didn't immediately believe in the resurrected Christ,
was welcome at the table. Even Judas,
the one who had already decided to betray him, was welcome at the table.
When we offer the Lord's Supper in our communities, we offer
it to anyone who is journeying toward Christ.
The new convert who doesn't have it figured out yet, the aged saint
whose testimony goes back generations, the visitor who felt like today might be
a good time to start going back to church; they are all welcome at the
Table. The grace that goes before is
present in the elements as we offer them.
As I take my place among millions who have gone before me
and stand with me every week, I consider the historic significance of the words
I repeat to each one who stands before me to partake, "This is the body of
Christ, broken for you; the blood of Christ, spilled out for you." The sweet lady I know as our missions
president approaches, holding her husband's hand and leading him along to
accept the bread and dip it in the juice.
He suffers from dementia, but he always has tears in his eyes as he
praises God for the grace offered in this moment. My friend Lane rolls up in his wheelchair. We always kneel down a little so he can
reach. The big guy who always takes more
than one and says "I'm a big boy, I need a lot of Jesus." Between tears, I continue to speak the words,
"This is the body, broken for you; the blood of Jesus, spilled out for
you." Toward the end of the line, I
see my own three kids and my husband.
With great emphasis, I speak each of their names, "Toby, this is
the body of Christ, broken for you.
Malachi, the blood of Jesus, spilled out for you. Leah, take and eat." The same words have been spoken by celebrants
for a millennia, the same grace offered to participants.
The precious grace of God invites us all to the table. And at the table, we are all the same. We are sinners in need of a saving God, a
broken people in need of the body broken for us. The sinner just beginning to seek Jesus is
offered the same grace as the saint just a breath away from Glory. And so it is at the foot of the Cross. When
we come to Jesus, every one of us is in need of the healing and restoring grace
found in him. And as we continue on the
journey, we remain in need of that grace.
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