MATT - Well today at church we celebrated communion and I was thrilled. (Ok for you Catholics reading this feel free to just shake your head and laugh at us funny Protestants) Anyway, I was thrilled that we used the common cup as we celebrated the Lord's Supper, which means we all drank for the same cup. I know that this freaks many of you out, especially with our germophobic american hypersterile culture, and you are thinking that I'm crazy but let me explain. You see I think that communion is an act that binds us and celebrates that we Christians are one in Christ. It is a time when we find solidarity in Jesus. It is a time when all the walls and differences between us are broken down as we come before God. When there is no race or social status, one and all are united to Him. It is a time when we look back to what Jesus did for us on the cross and remember His sacrifice for our sins. It is also a time when we look forward to the wedding feast of the Lamb where we will celebrate our union to Jesus for eternity. Wow, I love thinking about this stuff. Anyway, I think that a very real illustration of these things happens when we come to the common cup of Christ. When young and old, black and white, rich and poor can drink from the same vessel, this unites us in more than one way.
(Interesting note however, We were at a Jesuit church a couple weeks ago for mass and they only celebrate communion with the bread and not the wine. Apparently they stopped using wine during the times of the black plague around the 1600's ish and the tradition changed then and thus only the body is given during communion.)
SHARON - Ok, so I've just read Matt's post. . . and I need to let you know my perspective of this morning. As I walked up to the front to take part in the common cup, I kept thinking, "Lord, I know that this is a symbol of the wedding to feast to come, and really I am excited about that. . . really, . . but Lord, they only use grape juice here at this church. . . Isn't the alcohol in wine supposed to be what kills all the germs ? . . .so. . .um. . .does it still count if I just let my lips touch the juice????"
5 comments:
Just to let you know sharon you put a big smile on my face. I woner if Coram would ever do something like that? It would be a cool thing to try?!?!
wow i love that image of drinking the common cup with Jesus.. and to indeed to know that what makes us all the same in Jesus is the beautiful blood that flowed off Him and covered us. i have you two in my prayers along with the others on the team. God bless ya both and love ya both too!! ><>
Hey Sharon, If you meant it in your heart, it still counts!!! Sharing the cup with Jesus is one thing -- he's got no germs. But with dozens of germy people man . . . I'm with you. Sorry Erin : )
pastor jeff
We did this day of prayer in Portland last year. You served yourself communion by dipping your bread in the cup. I love taking an extra large helping at communion, too. So, I took a big chunk of bread, sopped it in the grape juice and put it in my mouth.
But it wasn't grape juice! I almost gagged and spit it out, but then I thought... "I can't spit out the blood of my Lord, can I? THat's not allowed, right?"
Dave and I always loved the common cup too. It felt to us like we all arrived on more level place of togetherness, more connected, less easy to keep separate in the service. Can we just say how amazingly happy we are that you guys are there. :) Love reading all the experiences and seeing the oh so familiar things. Have to admit, a little too. I miss the snow so much. :)
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