Leave room for mystery
June 9th, 2024 – Communion Meditation
Some of us grew up unchurched. Some of us grew up in churches where Communion was celebrated once a month, every week, or even daily. Some of us grew up in churches where Communion was called the Lord’s Supper or Eucharist or something else. We each come to Communion with our own ideas and expectations. Today in Communion, I want to invite us to leave room for mystery.
For 2000 years, Christians everywhere have celebrated Communion, a sacrament or ordinance that Jesus instituted at the Last Supper. Most Christians recognize a special presence of Christ in this sacrament. The Vineyard movement to which we belong expresses the historical, biblical, orthodox Christian beliefs with the Bible as our final authority in all matters of faith and practice. And we walk in the radical middle, avoiding the pitfalls on either side of the road – baseless beliefs on one side, dogmatic doctrines on the other. This means that we are each free to decide what we believe within a generous theological framework.
We have a measure of understanding that Jesus Christ is present with us in a special way during Communion. There are a variety of understandings within Christianity as to exactly how, where and how long Christ is present in it. We might believe that the elements change wholly into the literal body and blood of Jesus Christ. We might believe that, in a way surpassing our understanding, the elements become the body and blood of Jesus Christ. We might believe that Jesus Christ is truly and substantially present with the elements. We might believe in Jesus Christ’s spiritual presence in the elements. We might believe that the elements are a ceremonial remembrance of Jesus Christ. We might believe that Communion is a specific channel of divine grace. We might believe that Communion is an expression of faith and of obedience to Christ. We might believe a mixture of things. The important thing is that Communion is about communing with Jesus Christ together.
At the Last Supper, Jesus equated two ordinary things, the bread and the cup, with his body and his blood. We are invited into communing with Jesus Christ, together, by means of the one bread and the shared cup. I want to encourage us to leave room for mystery. In contentment, let us accept the measure of understanding that we have. In humility, let us be present in the present in the presence of God. In openness, let us allow God to meet us right where we are, in the mystery of this moment. Christ’s special presence is here with us. We are invited into communion with God.
On the night that Jesus was betrayed, he took the bread and said, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (Eat together) Again, Jesus took the cup and said, “This is my blood of the new covenant poured out for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (Drink together)
