While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."
When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, "You will all become deserters because of me this night; for it is written,
'I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'
But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee." Peter said to him, "Though all become deserters because of you, I will never desert you." Jesus said to him, "Truly I tell you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." Peter said to him, "Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you." And so said all the disciples.
The narrative of the institution of the Lord's supper here is all too familiar to us, as it is the heart of the Eucharistic Prayer. Our Priests and Bishops pray these words while many of us stand or kneel as we witness the amazing transformation of bread and wine into the very Presence of God, and then shared with all who come to the Eucharistic Table. While Episcopalians believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist as Roman Catholics do, we do not so much concern ourselves with how Christ is present in the consecrated Bread and Wine, but that when we receive them that we become the Body of Christ that we share in.
How are we being challenged to become more like the Body of Christ today? In what ways could we give more reverence to what we receive in Holy Communion outside of our churches? How do we pay respect to the Presence of Christ in others with whom we live, worship, work with, struggle with?
It is very fair to say that most of us agree that we should be more loving, accepting of others who are different from ourselves and tolerant of people we just cannot stand. Yet, when it comes right down to doing what we believe that is something very different. It is also very easy to tell ourselves we are going to do the right thing in a given situation and then when it happens without our expecting it, what we said we would do and what we actually do are not necessarily the same thing. That is our human nature at work there. That is precisely why we need the Sacraments and particularly the Eucharist. We need Jesus to help us, not only by reading about him in Scripture which is very important, but also by encountering Jesus in a very real, yet mysterious way. When we experience the Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, we experience Jesus not in a way that is necessarily understood or easily explained. In the Eucharist Jesus is Present through faith and through the Holy Spirit, two ways that cannot be explained, but only experienced. Speaking totally for myself here, I cannot tell you the times I have gone to Holy Communion and returned to the place where I have been sitting at Mass with joyful tears, because I know that God has truly loved me, totally and unconditionally in a way I can only know, not explain.
Here, I would like to share with my readers why when I was considering leaving Roman Catholicism for another church that would accept me as a gay man along with my partner, I chose the Episcopal Church. The choice for me was actually very simple. I have a great deal of respect for Christians who are part of denominations like the Disciples of Christ, the United Church of Christ, the United Methodists and many others I am not naming. The determining factor for me is the Mass and the belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and what it means. Unlike the Roman Catholic church, the Episcopal Church believes in opening up the Eucharistic Table for all people. We believe that the decision to receive Holy Communion is between God and the individual. The Episcopal Church also does not believe in closing the Eucharistic Table to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and questioning/queer people. The Episcopal Church also believes very strongly that we receive Holy Communion with some kind of commitment to not only the Sacrament itself, but also to the sense of mission that is contained with in the reception of Holy Communion. On one hand receiving Christ in the Eucharist is very personal and Spiritual, on the other hand receiving Holy Communion means that we are accepting the call to be about the work of the Gospel in the world as the Body of Christ. Being the Body of Christ means that we are welcoming and accepting of everyone who comes through our doors. Like everyone who is human there are moments when the Episcopal Church fails. But, eventually we acknowledge as Episcopalian Christians that we have failed to welcome Jesus when he came to us hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, elderly, LGBTQ, in the immigrant, Native American, African American, challenged, and so forth. And over time, we work to change and reform so that we become a more accepting and welcoming Church. For Episcopalians, reading our Bibles does not mean we forget to think about how differently everyone reads or interprets the Bible. As Episcopalians we understand that we do not always get things right, but if we remain faithful and keep moving forward trusting in God, God will lead us to do what we are suppose to do, and ultimately God will show us what is the right thing to do.
As we meditate on our Gospel about the institution of Holy Communion, perhaps this is a good moment to think about what the Eucharist means to and for us. Are we really thankful for the great gift that is in the Eucharist? How can we love Jesus more and more not only in our churches, at Mass, but in our daily lives?
O Lord, mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do, and may also have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Proper 10, Book of Common Prayer, Page 231).
Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated unto you; and then use us, we pray you, as you will, and always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. (Prayer of Self Dedication, Book of Common Prayer, Page 832).
No comments:
Post a Comment