The Church and Postmodern Culture blog recently featured an article dealing with many of the themes I bring up on this blog concerning liturgy and community.
In his piece “The Liturgical Turn: Public Display of Worship” Eric Speece notes concerning wine and community:
Wine, in
this [sacramental] way, as a part of that same [Eucharistic] blessing, suggests both feast and
community. Wine must be shared. If hoarded and possessed as a commodity
it only leads to drunkenness, which is a misuse of the drink. However when properly shared, it brings
joy to all and gives the community a sense of transcendence.
This is a great approach to alcohol, as well as food and leisure. We are not made to be alone, but to share all in hospitality. In old stories even the hermits, when someone comes to their door, greet the travelers with hospitality and feasting (along with wisdom). We make the world sacred through the sharing of Christ’s work in anticipation of the Great Feast.
Featured throughout Speece’s discussion is the work of Gordon Lathrop in Holy Things: A Liturgical Theology. Read my review of that book here.