Receiving and giving communion

17Mar
For I have received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is given for you, Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as oft as you may drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the lord’s death until he comes again.  
-1 Corinthians 11:23-27 

  For the bread which you have broken, for the wine that you have poured,
 For the words that you have spoken, we give thanks to you O Lord.

-L. Benson - Hymnal p. 341


How often have we heard these words as we walk up the aisle and take communion. For me it is the highlight of the service. We are in communion with others throughout the world who are sharing in Jesus’ body and blood. It is a joyful time for me to be experiencing God’s presence within me. I’m on a spiritual adventure with Jesus. I know I’m not alone for a gathering of witnesses is pushing me forward. 


A particularly memorable Eucharist took place on a mountain top in Honduras on a Trinity Medical Mission. We carried the wine and tortillas, prayer books and hymnals through brambles and barbed wire to reach the clearing on the mountain. A gathering of children from the town joined our worship group. Our spot of worship was enveloped in clouds, and we could barely recognize the people in our group. As the service was ending, we formed a circle and each missionary presented the elements of communion to his partner in the circle. We repeated: “This is my body which is given for you, eat in remembrance of me.” With the wine we said to each other, “This is my blood of the new covenant that is shed for you, drink it in memory of me.” As the last participant received the bread and wine, the clouds parted and the sun beamed down upon our little band of pilgrims and bathed us in God’s radiance. Hill Riddle, who was leading our service said, “Indeed, we are standing on Holy Ground.”


Dagfin Magnus was a Norwegian Lutheran priest who found his way to Trinity. He too accompanied us on a mission trip to Central America. My office staff was always impressed when FATHER MAGNUS called on the phone. One night in Nicaragua after serving us communion, he related an interesting tale. He had been the priest for a Special Operations Brigade in Norway. This group was on the verge of undertaking a particularly risky deployment. They asked Father Magnus to give them Communion. Unfortunately he had neither bread nor wine. He did have Coca Cola and potato chips. He consecrated the cola and chips and sent them off on a successful mission.


Receiving and giving communion is not just for Sundays in a formal church environment. “For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me in”.(Matthew 25:35) The Bible is replete with passages describing a shared meal. Sharing a meal, is an opportunity for us to express with others our gratitude to God for providing us with sustenance to maintain our bodies. In life’s journey, we discover that a shared meal is an act of love. Meals become a time to connect with family and friends and strangers. Participating in a meal with others offers an opportunity to explore each other’s lives and to make friends with strangers. When we ask others to share a meal with us, we echo the hospitality of Jesus. “Then Jesus declared, I am the Bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)


Musical Reflection - Here I Am, Lord - Daniel Schutte


Loving and Gracious Father, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Here I am today alone with you. I feel your presence, your warmth and your Love. You know what is in my heart. I pray that you will quiet my life and separate me from all outside influence. Please let me listen to you and allow you to tell me what you want of me. Help me surrender my senses that I may become closer to you. I pray that you will open my heart and let your Divine love, forgiveness, and mercy come into my life today. Amen.


-Prayer by Dr. James Heurtin

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