The Lord’s Supper
My church is currently exploring a book written by Dr Elaine Heath called “The Five Means of Grace” as an ongoing 5-week worship series in Lent. Each week we are exploring a different means of grace and, this week as of this writing, we are exploring “fasting.”
I bring this up because Im finding it a little funny to write about what im writing about this week, which will be next week’s focus: Holy Communion and taking a look at the story of the disciple’s walk to Emmaus at the end of the Gospel of Luke.
Today is one of the days that I am fasting, and so I dont know if I am amused or dreading the notion of talking about food as I grow increasingly distracted by my own hunger!
Communion is one of two things we Methodists consider “sacraments,” tangible things we consider an outward sign of an inward grace. Sacraments are considered commands by Jesus, who commanded his disciples to remember him at the last supper, and who also commanded to his disciples:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:18-20)
The Lord’s Supper is a sacrament. But I think that the meals we share together are “sacramental.” They also point to something deeper than what they are. We do so many important things over meals, don’t we? First dates, business deals, celebrations… meals can break down barriers, they can smooth over painful conflicts
I think we meet each other in a powerful way when we sit down to eat together that we don’t otherwise in casual conversation. And if anything is crystal clear to me as a United States citizen in 2025, it is that we have such a massive opportunity to meet one another and encounter them more fully. And that opportunity has the real possibility of having transformational effects on the world.
When I look around, I cannot help but notice how far apart from one another we are. And I don’t think that is separate from the increasing likelihood that we are eating in increasingly isolated ways. Dinner might be fast food we eat alone in our car, or eaten in front of a television alone.
In the story of the walk to Emmaus, the disciples mourning the death of Jesus did not recognize him even as he walked alongside them and taught them about the scriptures. They had conversation and spent hours together walking a seven mile journey to Emmaus.
It wasn’t until they sat down and Jesus took bread and shared a meal with them that “their eyes were opened!” (Luke 24:31)
What if our eyes could be opened by having more meals together? It’s something I am thinking about this week as I witness the increasing divides that have created such chaos and pain in our society.
