Communion
“Communion:
The sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts and feelings
especially when the exchange is on a mental or spiritual level.”
(Internet
Dictionary)
Most of us think of
communion as the Christian tradition of breaking bread and sharing
wine, as Jesus did with his disciples during their final meal
together. The Eucharist, as it is called in church doctrine. We can
get very legalistic about who is eligible to take communion and who
is not. Some churches serve only to members, some only to the
“confessed and saved.” I once attended a wedding in which the
groom himself was given a wafer that had not been consecrated and was
marked with an x, because he was marrying outside the faith.
Seriously. What that had to do with Jesus, I can't say since the most
scandalous behavior on Jesus' part was touching and eating with
“unclean” people. He maintained an open table for anyone
present—including tax collectors, prostitutes and mad men. Think
loaves and fishes here—who knows who may have been in that crowd!
Communion also happens on
a grander scale for Christians, members of other religions, and even
non-believers. It happens any time we open ourselves to someone
else—unguarded and uncensored. When we speak from the heart, when
we share our story, when we listen and respond with genuine interest
and compassion. We offer a little piece of our body, and a little
drop of our blood any time we connect with another human being with
our whole self. Communion of this sort is truly food for the soul.
In the Spirit,
Jane
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