March 29, 2022 (Lent Week 4)

 

I’m writing this on Sunday evening and reflecting on this morning’s worship service and the many wonderful things that happened. First and simplest of all, was the presence of everyone gathered. What a blessing of abundance!  It is just so good to see each other. Then there was the joy-filled baptism of two beautiful children lovingly supported by their immediate and extended families. We heard the ancient words of Scripture that continue to reveal themselves to us through theologically sound and inspirational preaching, we sang and listened to music, and then the whole thing culminated by celebrating the Lord’s Supper together as one body. Our worship tradition is a rich feast and the past two years have shown us that we really cannot take this experience for granted. So many in our church have waited months, and even years, for a chance to come to the altar and receive the sacrament of the Eucharist. 

 

In I Corinthians 11:17-34, Paul is tackling two issues that needed correction in the Corinthian church, one of which was how to observe the Lord’s Supper together.  He had returned to Corinth to find that the Corinthians’ practice of communion was, in fact, a disaster, bringing out the worst in people instead of their best. The church would gather, the wealthy bring food, quickly eat and drink to excess while the poor looked on hungry and humiliated.  Rather than using it as a solemn and reflective time they were treating it like a party to which, in reality, everyone wasn’t invited.

 

At first read, Paul’s writing here is a set of instructions; something very practical, definitely not poetic, yet it sparked something deep within me.  Over the past two weeks I’ve found myself involved in at least three conversations related to the Eucharist - this is unusual for me.  All have been richly thought-provoking.  At our Sunday afternoon discernment group we have looked at the feast of love and sharing of the early Apostles found in Acts 2:42, “All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.”  We have reflected on the freshness of the early church, the food, fellowship, and overall simplicity of what they were doing. There is a peacefulness, a finding of peace in the shared meal of the Eucharist, the feeling of agape.  These people were excited about and fully immersed in this highest form of love, living in the assured knowledge of God’s fatherly love for them which they, in turn, gave back to Him.  This reciprocal love was made further manifest in their unselfish love of and for others.  All were devoted to the teachings, fellowship, and sharing.  One senses a feeling of contentment, rest, and belonging.  I can’t help but think of St. Augustine’s famous quote which, incidentally, was brought to my attention twice within the same week this month - “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”

 

I pray for our church, and that as we begin to step into the same physical spaces we may experience the newness of life in the Lord’s Supper just as the earliest apostles did.  May all who enter here experience God’s love at work, find rest, belonging, and be satisfied.

 

- Joanne Collier