Breaking Bread is Love
A thought: We learn how to love one another by breaking bread together and letting the healing power of the Spirit work.
Your response?
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A thought: We learn how to love one another by breaking bread together and letting the healing power of the Spirit work.
Your response?
Designed by Yours Truly
Sharing the Lord’s Table with family aught to be the most wonderful faith-building experience we have together. And it was for me until denominationalism’s regulations changed all that in a moment. Once my husband became a member of a denomination which practices closed communion, I no longer had a place at that bountiful table. And my eyes were opened to the practice of blind exclusion.
It really hurts to be left begging a crumb…that will not come. “Even the dogs eat from the floor of the children’s table.” Jesus responded to this humble plea of an outsider with love. (Mark 7:28-30) How will His body respond to the many of Christ’s own flesh who grovel for a crumb from the banquet in the house of their own brother?
…That’s how it looks from here.
And after 50+years of communications, conferences, reports, handshakes, the linen is still spread for only the few that belong to each specific denomination. And even in the midst of conclaves of Ecumenicism, the “brothers” find themselves unwilling to sit down to eat at the Master’s Table together. Even at a recent gathering on unity in Germany this disfunction of our family was observed; “This reminder of the hope for Christian unity comes at the right time for many church members who are frustrated with slow ecumenical progress, because for instance interconfessional celebration of communion was not possible even at this festival of Christian unity in Munich.” (WCC NEWS May 17, 2010)
Still I am praying for UNITY. I am confident I have the heart of Jesus agreeing with that prayer. If we cannot sit down and eat together as brothers and sisters at the same table then we really are not letting the world see what His love is all about.
How, I wonder, are we modeling Christ?
Thanks for asking.
Oh, dear, I am so well aware of what you speak… and pray for unity of Christ’s Church every single day (frequently more day)…
We limited human beings–have so easily forgotten that “words” are not, at least in some sense, understandable to one-another because “we haven’t walked in the shoes of the other”–and don’t have the same experiences forming us. the “tower of Babel” in Genesis is actually “right on” here–and God’s wisdom cannot be questioned (or we risk making ourselves “God”–a particularly horrendous sin).
And yet, everything that has happened and that is occurring has a deep meaning (we can never plumb the depths of it as earthly beings)…
Christ’s Church is actually just as He said, “the one true Church” because of the message of the cross (and also Resurrection). There are very few “theologians”, however, that are making “news” because I’m just not sure everyone is ready for the Truth/truths contained therein… and these, too, have been limited by the use of “words”… and personal experiences that don’t allow for the fullness of understanding available to us–the message of Revelation–that these things can only be “conquered” by God/Christ, Himself–when we are part of All-in-All… it simply cannot/will not happen until sin is done away with–and this is not possible on this Earth. The many issues with “Paradox” we as humans have… (so many commonly denigrate God’s Holy Word because of the frequency of this) should be “mind-expanding”; after all the Bible has all we need for “salvation” (it is we humans who either limit the lessons or limit our ability for transcendence)… but humans have such a hard time digesting the message of the “cross” (even Jesus sweat blood and asked not to have to undergo–knowing what was before Him), we just don’t get beyond it until we have “surrendered all”. For some of us that means undergoing immense suffering to learn that important message… Jesus was serious when He said, “take up your cross and follow me.”
The Heavenly Banquet is more than simply sitting down together… yes, fellowship is necessary and very meaningful… (I grew up a Methodist, very heavy into this!)
It is the “full meal deal” that Jesus was talking about here–right now Catholics are being saliently reminded because of the sexual abuse scandals. This “cross” we bear is, in fact, purification: a holy journey. Although these issues are just as much in the other Protestant traditions–this is seldom addressed by the media. There must be some reason for that (it would seem). And yet, I also have very much respect for the journey of salvation for ALL Christ’s Holy People… our sitting down together needs, for right now apparently… in respectful and loving discussion over another type of Eucharist–shared meals. No rancor, pre-judgement, or individual “interpretations” (probably impossible) of the teachings of the Church… remember the “depository of faith” in the Catholic Church goes back two millenia and has an inexhaustible store of knowledge (those outside the Church–and often those within it, practically never access).
Unfortunately–we know this (at least many of us)… and also need the lessons God gives us in suffering. I DO respect the Muslims, who understand fully their place before God in this sense(at least the ones who truly know their faith tradition)–because they accept the consequences God–they don’t use that designation, of course–gives them for their actions. Many Christians are so tied up in “touchy-feelie” they have forgotten their place in the divine order–Who God IS (more than simply LOVE) has become very “watered down”.
To progress in this ecumenical issue will take many who are communicating deeply… not simply the hierarchy… and, as well, communication with the hierarchy on a very deep level… and still we will be stymied by “words”
in the human understanding. Sometimes simply “obedience” is what is required (the reason for the hierarchy in the first place)–because with individual rule comes “anarchy”. Very few Americans understand this: we are enamoured of “freedom” and don’t even know what it means: freedom to do the good and right thing.
Your longing is very much appreciated by this “little one”: we share that so strongly. We also NEED each other… and each other’s insights… many of our “longings” however, need deep reflection as to the source and reason for them. God IS on the throne, and has all very much well in hand! I love you so much… take care and continue to talk with everyone you know–spreading God’s glorious Name! and pray for me, if you will–I’ll return the favor!
I also want to say that the Revelation of St. John also talks about the transformation of the Earth into the “New Jerusalem”… we are not privy yet to the full meaning of that, either. God has a wonderful sense of humor, and is forever exceeding our expectations (we humans are such fools). That is the reason I continue praying for unity–because God is omnipotent!
Pope Benedict last week said the real enemy is withing the Church. The Lamb of God is explained by Scott Hahn is from the Bible. The Catholic Teachinbgs on the Mass/ Eucharist goes back 2,000 years.
The Reformation took place because of false teachings in the Church. The Church then went about making corrections; while the reformers started new churches many made it a practice to make Rome the Whore of Babalon. The problem was and is one of humbility. I find myself getting very upset with what certain men are doing within The Church; I bring them to those who can do something about them. Today we are told that the only ‘voters guide’ we can have in our Parish is the one from the USCCB. But wait; where is it in Church Teachings that a nationsal group of bishops can speak for all. It was only recently pointed out that Each bishop speaks for the diocese he is put in charge of.
And what about the court issues being brought up about Bishops working for the Pope; if that is the case the treasures of the Vatican are wide open. Could this be from bishops listening to lawyers in stead of the Holy Spirit.
Getting back to the problem you bring up aabout Communion. The Catholic Church is the one that has made the Eucharist a Sacrament, and teaches that Christ initiated it and the Last Supper. Since the early Church the Eucharist was for those in full union with Christ and His Church. That is a truth the Catholic Church teaches, however, man is in the forest,[quote from Bambi] and man tends to mess things up.
I believe I am a Christian and am proud to associate with other Christians. As a Catholic I must be prepared to defend my faith. To believe in the Sacraments you have to believe in all of them. That is the truth. Many things will be said to distort the truth; howev3r, it is still the truth. No matter what the enemies within the Church say or do. I am not judging just pointing out what I believe.
Prior to and while I writing the above I prayed that “I would not say something stupid” This morning I woke up and said I missed the most important fact and that is in two parts.
ONE Love is defined by one word; SACRIFICE and it obvious to me that the blog is written with LOVE.
Two Praying for blogger as she stands up for her beliefs. There are many who are ;”Just doing it” I have been in the “Drawing the line in the sand and not crossing it, position”
I pray for you that the TRUTH will come through.