A Post-Conservative Reflection on the Eucharist

by Tim Ghali

As a Post-conservative Evangelical
reflecting on the sacrament of the Eucharist, I am compelled to say
that it’s always been a beautiful and reflective time of worship
for me. There are times when I do feel that many of the churches
I’ve been a part of have been guilty of stripping the beauty and
significance of it by making it once a month, using the crackers (The
Body as a cracker? Does your NIV read, "I am the cracker of life"
in John 6?) and grape juice. Then there’s the attitude behind it
that concerns many.

What I have appreciated from my
tradition is that we have not been exclusive about it. All who
profess to know and love Christ can participate. In the "Who is
allowed to worship, teach Sunday School, drive the church van"
debates, it seems the greater question which is often overlooked is
who is allowed to receive of among the most sacred of moments, the
Eucharist or also put, "Communion" as referred to in my church.
At first glance, this may point out an inconsistency or it may lead
us to a richer hospitality of who comes through our doors and whose
cell phones we call.

But here’s what I really want to say.
I have been accustomed to hearing the teaching of unity from I
Corinthians 12 and the reconciliation before offering your gift in
Matthew 5 before partaking in communion together. I believe that and
adhere to it. But I am not sure how many of my fellow worshipers
over the years apply it and if so, how? I suppose I had always
pictured people moving throughout the service and reconciling with
one another – at least the procrastinators. And what about those
that had planned ahead? I have always wondered why I seldom heard
this story of forgiveness surrounding the context of communion.
Apparently many of us do not take it literally but we take it to be a
meaningful message pointing to the sacredness of the sacrament and
the need for peace amongst us.

I’d like to ask us to consider going
a step further. Just like the death and resurrection of Christ calls
us to live in peace with one another, we are also called to live in
peace with our neighbor, enemy, and all of creation. During those
softly piano played, candle flickering moments before the Lord’s
Supper, we often think of our sins of anger, lust, the self-righteous
and prideful moments. But when do we confront our collective racism?
Our bitterness towards others such as Muslims, our superiority
complex of other ethnicities, our attitude towards homosexuals and
the sins against our humanity and creation in the various forms of
personal materialism, collective greed, self-preservation, mass
consumption, etc., etc. etc.?

Celebrating and reflecting on the
Eucharist is a beautiful act of worship. Indeed we need to be
diligent, reflective and true to the character it represents for us -
peace to all under Christ.