| Commentary: Finding the Holy Grail at the communion table
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James Lane |
Dec. 11, 2006
A UMNS Commentary
By James Lane*
We have seen headlines
about how some have used the Eucharist to promote their own political
and social agendas, by denying access if you believed this way or that
way. We have seen one faith group deny a young girl access to her first
Communion because she had life-threatening allergies that meant she
should not eat "their" bread.
Some faith groups will not let you partake of "their communion" if you are not one of their group.
One of the great quests of those who seek religious artifacts is for
what has been described as the "Holy Grail" -- the cup from which Jesus
shared the Seder meal in the upper room in the final days before his
crucifixion. Several groups have claimed to have it. One has it locked
up, they say, and only one person gets to look at it once a year.
In reality, all of us are seeking the "Holy Grail." We find it in
different ways -- each in its own time, each in our own response to the
quest of the Holy One.
If everyone claims ownership in the Holy Grail, then just whose cup is it, anyway?
It was a grace-filled moment when Jesus said: "Take this bread, take
this cup. ... As often as you do this, do it in remembrance of me." It
seems that ever since Jesus uttered those words, the church has laid
claim to this celebrative meal of grace.
The church has established all kinds of rules and regulations and then
declared them sacred and infallible. Often, the church has kidnapped and
perverted the meal of grace and restoration -- in the name of God.
The United Methodist Church emphasizes communion not only as a meal of grace, but a meal of grace that is open to all.
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A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose
Communion elements of bread and juice rest upon the altar.
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| Communion
elements of bread and juice rest upon the altar. A UMNS photo by Mike
DuBose. Photo #061396. Accompanies UMNS story #712. 12/11/06 |
In 2004, the General Conference of the United Methodist Church adopted
the document "A Response to this Holy Mystery: A United Methodist
Understanding of Holy Communion." We said: "In accord with the practice
of the church throughout Christian history, God calls and the church
sets apart certain persons for leadership within the body of Christians.
We believe that the Holy Spirit gives to such persons the grace
and gifts they need for leadership in obedience to their call. Elders
are ordained to a lifetime ministry of service, word, sacrament, and
order (Book of Discipline, Paragraph 323) and charged to
'administer the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper and all the
other means of grace' (Paragraph 331)."
On a recent Sunday, I was asked to be responsible for the entire service
at our church, including the sermon. Our pastor was to be away that
day. We are a church that serves communion every Sunday. I am a
layperson and am not authorized, according to the Discipline of
our church, to consecrate the elements. What were we to do? We wanted to
continue our practice, so our pastor consecrated the elements earlier
in the week before she left. Lay people in our denomination are allowed
to serve the elements once they have been properly consecrated.
My sermon topic that day was "Touchstones of Life." I talked about the
touchstones from my growing-up years and some of those in my adult life.
I showed a picture of our church in an earlier location and asked how
many still considered that building and what happened in it a touchstone
in their lives. Many had been married and had their children baptized
in that building.
As I came to my last touchstone, I walked to the table on which our communion elements had been prepared.
I then explained that Jesus left us with a "Touchstone of Life" by saying these words:
"Take this bread, take this cup. As often as you do this, do it in remembrance of me."
I uncovered the elements, broke the bread and lifted the cup. I then shared these old and familiar words with our congregation:
"You that do truly and earnestly repent of your sins, and are in love
and charity with your neighbors and intend to lead a new life, following
the commandments of God, and walking from henceforth in his holy ways,
draw near with faith, and take this holy sacrament to your comfort.
"We do not presume to come to this thy table, O merciful Lord, trusting
in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are
not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy table. But, thou
art the same Lord, whose property is always to have mercy. Grant us
therefore, gracious Lord, so to partake of this sacrament of thy Son
Jesus Christ that we may walk in newness of life, may grow into his
likeness and may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen."
And then as a remembrance of what Jesus Christ has done for us and
continues to do for us, we shared the bread and cup of life with each
other. We touched the elements of communion and remembered.
When our history is being written, what will it say of how we lived out
the command to take and eat, take and drink, in remembrance of the one
who offered up himself?
Will it say that we so often missed out on this "meal of healing and
grace" because a person of the right pedigree and with proper
credentials was not present to lead us? Will we be "law" filled or
"grace" filled?
God grant that we lead with a grace-filled access to all that is holy!
*Lane, of Sherwood, Ark., is manager of the Arkansas United Methodist
Official E-mail Network. He may be reached by e-mail at jim@jimlane.org.
News media contact: Linda Green, (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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