Wednesday, December 06, 2006

sacraments AND advent light

I know we're not to "joy" Sunday yet (and, don't worry: the pink candle remains unlit) BUT I'm grateful for the joy of the Lord tonight. Tonight, I got to serve Communion to a whole bunch of families, including a lot of little kids. I'm not quite sure how to explain how it is that the body and blood of Christ can be so good to share, but it sure felt good to share this sacrament of our church, up at the altar in our dramatic sanctuary, with lots of little people. With big eyes, and tenuous hands, they reached out for those wafers, and got a taste of this sign of God's grace. Watching mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers (and many assorted honorary aunties and uncles) share in this holy meal was incredible. The sense of expectation, the joy, the tangible, mysterious holiness--this is why I love communion.

And, I kept thinking about the little girl whose funeral I'm to lead tomorrow. The life of each of those children seemed so precious and wonderful. I'm intensely grateful to get to share this sign of God with all those kids tonight. Not that I think communion is necessary for salvation. It's just awfully beautiful.

1 comment:

karen said...

I'm still trying to find words to describe tonight, but, just as your words were wonderful in the sharing of communion so genuinely, they're perfect here, too.

I'm so glad I got to be a part of that.

Serving a family I've grown close to in Ryan's class, serving a mother and an unruly teen, serving a family whose boys were taking communion for the first time, serving my mother and son -- what a joy, what a privilege.

Communion. Sharing communion.

I'm so glad I could be a part of it. Thanks for sharing Vespers leadership with me, especially thanks for the gift of getting to serve the bread of life and the cup of salvation.