I've exhausted my supply of stained-glass window photos from my own church, so I must find something else to post on Sundays.
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This "window" was on display in a lighted frame in the vestibule of the Methodist church at Waverly, Iowa, where we attended a county Dairy Banquet several months ago.
The church is quite new, and its construction resulted from the uniting of two Methodist congregations. This window came from one of the old church buildings, I presume. It was very beautiful, with a light bulb shining through from behind!
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Hey, I'm curious about something........a question for any of you out there who attend a Christian church. During your Communion service, before the Distribution of the bread and wine, does your officiant pray, "May no one receive this Communion to their judgement."???
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I believe this relates to St. Paul's words in I Corinthians, chapter 11, specifically verse 29. I've read this chapter many times......it seems to me that Paul is lecturing the people because of the way their Communion service was being held. Certain people would rush in and consume all the bread and wine, leaving none for other people. I'm thinking that such a ludicrous scenario would never happen in a Christian church in this day and age. Thus, why do pastors say those words, which, in my opinion, can cause unnecessary fear for those about to partake of Communion. Are we to suppose that if we subsequently fall ill, it is due to partaking of Communion "to our judgement"?
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St. Paul speaks of not "discerning the body of Christ", which may mean two things........the body of Christ in the bread and wine, or the body of Christ, which is all members of the church. Discerning the body of Christ is a divisive issue in Christendom. Martin Luther clung to the concept of the Real Presence of Christ in the bread and wine, while other Protestant groups viewed the bread and wine as symbols of Christ's body and blood.
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Oh, my........this is a difficult issue for me, personally, for I don't believe the Bible in any way spells out which way is correct. Jesus simply said, "This is my body, this is my blood." Honestly, that is all I think about when I partake of Communion. I don't give a thought to whether its a Real Presence or a symbol.
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Do you suppose I'm partaking "to my judgement"?
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Have a blessedly pleasant day!!
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11 comments:
I think the key words in that 1 Corinthians 11 passage is "examine yourself" and also "unworthily." And it's ourselves we are supposed to examine, not the other guy.
Interesting also that Paul went from talking about whether women should cover their heads in church to drunks at the communion table.
I meant "are" of course, not "is."
rhymeswithplague,
I hope you don't think I'm worried about the other guy at the Communion table.
For Lutherans.....partaking "unworthily" means not viewing the bread and wine properly as Real Presence (as opposed to symbolic). That's how my very orthodox denomination can justify "closed" Communion.....which means not allowing Christians of other denominations to participate in Communion......not even Lutherans of other synods. I don't believe that's at all what St. Paul was trying to say in I Corinthians 11.
Have a great Sunday!
It's not said at the Catholic mass Jeannelle. In any of its forms so far as I know.
Jeannelle, In our pre-Communion prayers at my Episcopal church, we beseech the Lord for "worthiness" while acknowledging that, through our manifold sins, we are "unworthy."
Some Episcopalians believe in transubstantation while others view the elements of Holy Communion as symbolic. We are not required to believe one way or the other. All Christians are welcome and invited to share in our Eucharist.
Sherry of "afeather...",
Thank you for responding from the Catholic side.
Pat,
And, thank you for the Episcopal info. Wow, what a wonderful attitude of openness your church concerning Communion. Beautiful.
Pat, I have been taught that there is another view beside the two you mention that is more common of Episcopalians . . . that the Real Presence of Christ is in the bread and wine. This is not transubstantiation. That Roman Catholic doctrine teaches that the bread and wine actually change during the consecration to become the body and blood. So believing in the Real Presence is more than symbolism but not as extreme as transubstantiation. (I'm being particular about this because I grew up with the symbolism belief and later was Catholic but never fully held the transubstatiation belief. I do believe fervently in the Real Presence.)
But you're right that it isn't required to have any of these beliefs to take communion. All that is required is to be baptized.
Thanks, Ruth, for your insights. I think the Lutheran Real Presence view is called "consubstantiation". They describe it as the Real Presence of the Body and Blood "in, with, and under" the bread and wine.
I feel that Christians can either veiw Communion symbolically or as reality, and still be Christians. I think that's all I was trying to say.
Have a great day!
They can still be Christians, but I'm unsure about whether they can still be Lutherans. (This is a Monday afternoon attempt at humor; sorry if it falls flat.)
Ruth.. thanks for the clarification to Jeannelle. I must have had had a "senior moment" to have left out the Real Presence of Christ, which is *most* important.
rhymeswithplague,
Haha! Yes, I think you hit the nail on the head, there! Lutheran doctrince is pretty picky.
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