Holy Communion

I've had many conversations with different people about the nature of Holy Communion. Who should take it, who shouldn't, what does it mean. For the most part, the explanations that are given are as varied as the amount of people with opinions. Some people have spent the length of professional careers trying to determine the answers to these questions, and are no further to finding it out than the person who has spent a day.

If one wants the answer to these questions, they usually look to people with letters in front or behind their name, other experts, or the ever-knowing internet. However, I found one of the best answers from a high school senior who has accepted Jesus under a year ago.

This past Sunday, my wife had a cold and decided to stay home with our daughter, so I took my son to church, just the two of us. Instead of sitting alone, I decided to sit with our resident high school senior. I don't want to give away too much of his name, so I'll just call him Brent. Brent is a very new Christian, and was never brought up in church. After taking communion, I noticed that he walked slowly around our small sanctuary, looking at all the different pictures of the stations of the cross. For those that don't know, the stations of the cross are different pictures representing the final hours of the life of Jesus Christ, including the cross being placed on His back, Christ carrying the cross, and the death of Christ. When we sat down, I realized that Brent had most likely never been to a Good Friday service at our church, or anywhere for that matter, and quietly mentioned that on Good Friday, we go through each picture and explain what they each mean.

What he said caught me a little off guard. He told me he understood what they are. What he does is every time he takes communion, he looks at each picture in the station of the cross, which helps him keep perspective on just exactly what it means when he takes communion. He later went on to explain that he does not swallow the elements until after he looks at all the different stations of the cross. Often times his lips chap, and the wine remains in his mouth, stinging the inside of his mouth, bringing a little bit of pain.

You see, Brent realized what some people who have been in the church all their lives fail to realize. Communion is not something we do once every (insert time period of your choice here) because it means 'something important'. Communion is something we partake in because of the most awesome and horrifying gift ever given. When Brent goes from station to station, he sees depictions of one of the most brutal forms of execution known to man. Crucifixion was so brutal in fact, that the Romans made it illegal to crucify a Roman citizen, no matter the crime. Christ went through this, full knowing ahead of time that this would be the way He dies. But He did it anyway. He lived a sinless life, yet died in the same way as low-life murderers and thieves. He did this so that those who do not deserve to pass on to Heaven after death, may do so. His body was broken, His blood was shed, and He died a gruesome death, that you and I may have eternal life.

No matter how you take communion, with wine or grape juice. With a loaf of bread, wafer, or cracker. These things should not be the focus when you take communion. Our worship of Christ should always be at the center, and the remembrance of the ugly death yet beautiful sacrifice of Christ should be with you as well.

Amen.