The Intention of Communion
Several times in my life - for one reason or another - I have found myself in seasons during which I didn’t take communion. I moved and didn’t have a church home. I was travelling every weekend. Or I just felt disconnected from God. During those seasons, I would hike trails and disappear into the woods...and in that stillness, I would find God. I would commune with him away from the distractions of life, of work, of roommates, of parents and family. Trails were my church and the granola bar at a summit was my version of “taking the elements.”
This past January, I found myself moving to Vermont. I settled in with a roommate (who wound up being crazy) and started trying to find a church. Vermont is not what I would call a healthy spiritual environment...so finding a body where I wanted to worship was hard. Throw a pandemic in there and it continues to seem impossible. So here I am, at month four of missing out on the experience of communion. I’ve popped in and out of churches, watched sermons online, and sometimes skipped church to go hiking and find God in the trees.
So when I found myself feeling empty and wandering where God had gone in the midst of all the chaos, I decided that I needed to commune with him. I needed to return to the simple act of accepting the elements he offered at that well-known supper. It seems simple - just some bread (or crackers or flatbread or even a cookie) and juice or wine. But there are so many layers to the experience that make it richer and more purposeful.
I would encourage you, instead of rushing into communion, to enter with intention. If you slowly dig into the Scripture where Jesus introduces his disciples to this experience, you see a process that you can use to develop that intention. Maybe you can walk through this process and take communion with your church body this Sunday morning. Maybe you’re making your own communion bread and sipping grape juice alone in your apartment. Or maybe you’re thinking/praying through this process as you hike to the top of a mountain. Wherever you find yourself, I just encourage you to slow down. Don’t take the opportunity for granted.
Prepare.
On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. (Matthew 26:17-19)
Communion isn’t something that we just jump into. Our hearts and our minds must be ready. We have to let go of anything that might keep us away from God - resentment, anger, shame. And we have to put our attention on Him. Shake off the weight of the week and the days that brought you to this place and focus on the grace of the Lord.
Listen and learn.
When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?” Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said so.” (Matthew 26:20-25)
As you get into the experience, it’s important to slow down and actually hear the words that are being said. In many churches, pastors will read the same Scripture just before they serve the elements...week after week after week. It’s easy to let these words slide in one ear and out the other, forgetting that they are the words that Christ used. But no matter how many times you’ve heard the exact same words and echoed back, “Christ died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again,” those words should still have a meaning. You should be broken by the knowledge that the body of Christ was broken and the blood of Christ was shed; and it is only by the grace of God that you get to experience these elements and his love. So you should probably...
Give thanks.
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks
(Matthew 26:26a)
Yep. That brings us straight to giving thanks. The act of giving thanks is humbling - it forces you to realize your own limitations. And when it comes to your relationship with God, it’s vital to understand that! Once you understand your limitations, you can better appreciate the sacrifice that Christ made for you.
Accept what is offered.
He broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
(Matthew 26:26b-29)
It sounds simple, doesn’t it? Just accept something that is offered to you. But when you accept communion, you are entering into a covenant. According to Jeremiah 31, this covenant involves forgiveness and a commitment to his law (vs 31-34). You have no control over the forgiveness part of this, but it’s up to you to put his laws in your minds and write them on your heart. You let go of sin and strive to walk in the ways that God has put before you. When you take communion, that’s what you should be on your mind.
Praise.
When they had sung a hymn... (Matthew 26:30a)
After you’ve spent this time tuning in to who God is and all that He has done to you, and you’ve considered how you can align your plans to God, it’s time to give him praise! He is worthy of every bit of praise that you can give. Take time to really consider the meaning of his sacrifice and how it should affect your life beyond this simple moment. The praise can be a song or a prayer in that moment...but what happens next?
Go out.
They went out to the Mount of Olives. (Matthew 26:30b)
This is the “what’s next.” Jesus and his disciples headed out to spend some time in prayer...till Jesus was arrested. And we all have a pretty good idea what comes after that. But it’s unlikely that you’ll have handcuffs slapped on your wrists the next time you leave church. So think about what is likely...you’ll meet up with friends for coffee you’ll go home to finish writing a paper for school, you’ll stay up to late and be drowsy at work the next morning. Since I don’t know your life, I can’t say exactly what “go out” should look like. But I would encourage you to consider how you can carry the intentionality of communion with you as you go about your life. Being prepared, giving thanks and praise, listening and learning, accepting what is offered.
As you do those things on a daily basis, can you experience God a little bit more? Can you demonstrate his love a little more clearly?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mary Elizabeth spent the past six years doing life in Nashville, TN…from grad school to working in a pie shop to running after school programs. But then she got a little antsy. She’s currently in a season of “wandering”…exploring the people, tastes and experiences that the country has to offer. As she set out on this journey her hope was to engage with people in more authentic ways and to hike everything possible. If you're curious about where she is and what she's up to, visit sunsetsstormclouds.home.blog.