Haydenville Congregational Church The Rev. Dr. Andrea Ayvazian Luke 22:14-22 May 5, "God's Open Table"

Transcription

1 Haydenville Congregational Church The Rev. Dr. Andrea Ayvazian Luke 22:14-22 May 5, 2013 "God's Open Table" May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of all of our hearts be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord our Strength and our Redeemer. Amen. During my sabbatical this winter, I went back to Eastern Point-a monastery in Gloucester where I had been before-and participated in an eight-day silent retreat. Each day I met with my spiritual director, Father Ron, who guided my Bible reading and made suggestions about my prayer life. Father Ron was a tall, kind man who looked like Fred Goodhue. During our first session, I brought up the subject already weighing on my mind. "Father Ron," I said, "I need to talk about the Eucharist. I will be here for eight evenings of Mass. And I don't know if I should take Communion." Father Ron was a thoughtful man-he did not rush to respond. He paused; I could tell he was thinking deeply. He asked me what I had done during my previous retreat at Eastern Point. I said I had not taken Communion. He asked why and I said my spiritual director for that retreat said I should follow my heart and my heart was confused, so I decided to refrain from taking Communion. Father Ron asked me more questions. We seemed to be talking in hushed tones, like something mysterious and sacred was happening. We were a Catholic Priest and a Protestant Minister talking about Communion- I appreciated that we were both being careful, sensitive and respectful. I especially appreciated Father Ron's gentle, unhurried approach. I felt safe in his presence-heard and held. I felt like I was talking to a trusted colleague.

2 After a while, Father Ron said, "Maybe it would help us if we considered how you think about the elements. Catholics believe that once blessed, the elements become the true body and blood of Jesus. What do you think happens to the bread and the wine?" I thought this was a loving and helpful approach. I could see how hard Father Ron was trying to help me get clear on this question of what to do when Communion was celebrated during Mass. I thought about his question. I realized that he may have gotten to the crux of the dilemma. I knew Father Ron was trying to help me and I also knew I wanted to be totally honest with him...that being honest would help me too. So I drew a breath and told him that at my church in Haydenville, the Communion bread is made by Shirley Warner. And before Shirley, the Communion bread was made by her mother, Helen Warner. And the Communion juice is made by Gloria Lampron, and Gloria uses grapes from the vines of Cora Warner, a church leader who has passed on, a sister in the faith we knew and loved dearly. I told Father Ron that I lift and bless the bread Shirley has made. And I lift and bless the juice Gloria has made from Cora's grapes. And after I bless the bread and the juice, I think they are still bread made by Shirley and juice made by Gloria and I consider them holy...because they were made by Shirley and Gloria, and offered in love to a loving faith community. Father Ron was quiet, and then he said he understood. Together, as we talked about it further, we agreed that we would both pray on this question some more, and God would guide my decision about whether I should take Communion during Mass while at the eight-day retreat. Friends, do I believe that Jesus is in the bread made by Shirley and the juice made by Gloria? Yes I do. But I agree with Martin Luther who once said, "I think Jesus is in the bread, and in the wine, and in my soup." I believe Jesus is in the bread and in the juice and in our soup. I believe Jesus is here, with us, his spirit is present among us, between us, and within us. I believe Jesus is here. Earlier this morning, Tom read a passage from the book OUR ONE GREAT ACT OF FIDELITY: Waiting for Christ in the Eucharist by Ronald Rolheiser in which a little girl is being comforted by her mother when she is

3 afraid at night alone in the dark. "You don't need to be afraid," her mother says. "You aren't alone. God is here in the room with you." But the little girl objects and says "I know that God is here, but I need someone with skin." What I love about Jesus is that he really lived and walked among us-he had skin and hands and a voice and feet. He had a presence that healed people, words that stirred people, and a way of being that made people want to listen, to follow, to be like him. Jesus is God with skin. In my best, clearest and quietest moments, I find Jesus still has skin and is present-here and now. Some of those moments-when his presence is so powerful and palpable-are during Communion. Protestants tend to call it "communion." The Catholic community calls it the "Eucharist." The word "Eucharist" comes from the Greek word "eukharistia" which means "thanksgiving, gratitude." Eukharisteo, in Greek, means "to be thankful." The prefix "Eu" means "well." Eucharist can be translated to mean "the good gift." I believe Communion, or the Eucharist, is a good gift...a beautiful gift...a time out of time when we are invited to commune deeply with God, to recognize Jesus' presence in, among, and within us. And we are invited to commune with one another...to pause and appreciate the community of faith we have created in his name. When we share deeply in Communion, we experience what in the Celtic tradition is called "a thin place," when the veil between this physical, tangible world is thin, porous and we can feel the presence of the divine on the other side of the membrane. I think we experience Communion as a thin place because of our deep prayers, our deep longing, and our hunger for a closeness with God and with each other. I think we make the bread and juice holy by our presence, our prayers, and our hopes. I think Communion at its best reminds us that, like Jesus, we have come from God and we are going back to God. The mystery, beauty and simplicity of God's divine love and presence overwhelms us for a moment and we are transported, transformed, and fed in a way that nourishes our soul. I did not take Communion during the entire eight-day silent retreat. I

4 wrestled with my decision and Father Ron talked to me at length about it. But I was deeply moved one evening in Mass by a sermon in which the priest spoke about the Eucharist. The priest said he believes that we are all part of the body of Christ. That we all contain a divine spark within us and we need to recognize, nurture and honor that. He said that when he celebrates Communion, he gives each person the bread and says "The body of Christ." But, he revealed, what he really wants to say instead is, "YOU are the body of Christ." I found that so touching. Listen...that same sentiment is echoed in these words by Rolheiser in his book OUR ONE GREAT ACT OF FIDELITY: Waiting for Christ in the Eucharist, God gave us something we could not give to ourselves, a common heart and a common spirit. The Eucharist works in the same way. It is meant to be an intensification of our unity within the Body of Christ. It is not just the bread and wine that is meant to change and become the body and blood of Christ. There is a famous saying in the writing of the great church Father, Saint Augustine. Whenever he would give communion to someone for the first time, instead of holding up the host and saying, "The Body of Christ," he would hold it up and say, "Receive what you are." Receive what you are...holy, lovable and loved, cherished, honored, with a spark of God within you. Receive what you are. YOU are the body of Christ. As I walked across northern Spain on the Camino de Santiago during my sabbatical, I went to Mass about three times a week, in the evenings, in little stone churches in tiny villages along the way. Every village, no matter how small, had a little stone church, ornately decorated inside, and many held Mass each evening. If there was a service, and if I had showered and eaten, I went. I enjoyed the quiet and the rhythm of the service, even though it was not my denomination nor was it in my language. But I felt close to God and was always grateful for the time in those stiff, narrow pews with others, in prayer. When it was time for Communion, I let people climb over me as they lined up in the center aisle to receive Communion from the priest. I blessed them as they waited.

5 I blessed the priest. I thanked God for making our time together a holy time. When I finally reached Santiago on Easter morning, after 33 days of walking, I went directly to the cathedral and attended Easter Mass with thousands of people jammed into this huge, old, amazing cathedral. I had talked to God each day for 33 days...sometimes I talked to God ALL day (those were the days when I felt I was walking inside a prayer). And there I was...finally...in Santiago, in the Cathedral of St. James, at my destination, with hundreds of other pilgrims, with tourists and city folks, but mainly with God. When it came time for Communion, and a dozen priests stepped forward to serve Communion to this motley crew-some of us in hiking clothes with muddy boots and dirty shirts-i felt the pull to line up and receive Communion too. And so I did. I was nervous...i tried to stare at those in front of me on the line to make sure I did it right. Then I remembered that every time I serve Communion to you, here in Haydenville, I always say, "This is the Lord's Supper. You are welcome here. Do not refrain from taking Communion because you think you will do it wrong. You cannot do it wrong. You cannot make a mistake. Fear not." And so I stood in the aisle with the rest of the great unwashed, literally, as the line slowly snaked up to the front to receive Communion. I watched those ahead of me. Some opened their mouths and the priest put the wafer on their tongue. That seemed so touching and intimate. Some put out their cupped hands and the priest put the wafer in their hands. I decided to put out my hands like so many were doing. Finally, it was my turn. I put out my cupped hands. The priest put the wafer in my hands and I turned to step away and take my wafer. So many others had done just that. They turned, stepped away and took their wafer. But when I did the priest grabbed my arm and motioned that I should take the wafer there in front of him. I was so surprised. And I felt badly. I had done it wrong. After I had studied so many people in front of me I had somehow done it wrong. So I stood in front of the priest and took my wafer, then I returned to my pew.

6 Except you know, and I know, I did not do it wrong. This is the Lord's Supper, you cannot do it wrong. This is Communion...when we get to recognize that God is with, among, and inside us. This is the time when we want to turn to one another and shout, "YOU are the body of Christ." This is Communion, you cannot do it wrong. Today we will celebrate Communion together. We will feast on the awareness that God is in the bread and juice-that they are made holy by our prayers and our love. We recognize that Jesus is here and the veil is thin between us and the world of the divine. We will know in our hearts that we have the opportunity to commune with God, and with each other. And we will be grateful that this is the Lord's Supper...Jesus is the host at this meal. As we step forward to receive Shirley's bread and Gloria's juice, we know that this is a holy time, God is near, and we cannot do anything wrong. We are together, in God's presence, safe, loved and blessed. Thanks be to God. Amen.