May 25, 2008

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." -- Mahatma Gandhi

Last Saturday we celebrated First Communion, and it was so good to witness our young people receiving Jesus for the first time. It makes us think back over the many years of our own receiving in good times and not so good. First Communion and all the communions after go on all over the world in all cultures, races, young and old, rich and poor.

When I went to my grandson's First Communion in Colorado two years ago, I was told about a woman in her 60's who joyfully received Jesus for the first time when the church started using hosts with a minimum of gluten. Jesus is always there to welcome us, feed us and give us strength.

The Eucharist is the center of our liturgy. We believe Jesus is present in the presider, the Word, the Eucharist, and the congregation. Our pattern for the liturgy comes from the early church. Jesus' first followers were Jews. They would go to the synagogue to hear the Word of God and discuss it. Then they would go to someone's home and celebrate Eucharist. Their service would come out of the seder meal with its bread and wine and the remembrance of all God had done for them.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke use this as their setting for Eucharist, but John does not. John uses the story of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, earlier in this week's chapter of the gospel. In the story, Jesus teaches the 5,000 about the kingdom and then He feeds them. Jesus is very insistent about the importance of eating His body and drinking His blood. If we do, we will have eternal life.

The challenge to us is to live the way Jesus wants us to. If we are to be His body, we are to imitate Him in caring, healing, and helping others. We are to be witnesses to God's love for all people. This week perhaps we could look for an opportunity to be Jesus for someone.