For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’”
— 1 Corinthians 11-23-25 (NIV)
Today is “World Communion Sunday,” an observance that was started by a Presbyterian Church in 1933.
1933–a year in which world events didn’t make for much hope for a better world, not unlike 2014.
Keep the faith and practice it.
And here’s a blessing for this occasion from the multi-talented United Methodist minister Jan Richardson. Learn more about her here.
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“‘Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it. And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.”
―Mark 10.15-16
“And the Table Will Be Wide”
A Blessing for World Communion Sunday
And the table
will be wide.
And the welcome
will be wide.
And the arms
will open wide
to gather us in.
And our hearts
will open wide
to receive.
And we will come
as children who trust
there is enough.
And we will come
unhindered and free.
And our aching
will be met
with bread.
And our sorrow
will be met
with wine.
And we will open our hands
to the feast
without shame.
And we will turn
toward each other
without fear.
And we will give up
our appetite
for despair.
And we will taste
and know
of delight.
And we will become bread
for a hungering world.
And we will become drink
for those who thirst.
And the blessed
will become the blessing.
And everywhere
will be the feast.
The reason I left the Catholic Church is they do not have open communion. Except some priests will serve anyone, no questions asked. I had grown up with a liberal priest like that. (Think Daniel Berrigan from viet nam era)
We went to a catholic HS graduation in Ohio and my husband could not take communion. So I didn’t and promptly became a methodist. It is the Lord’s table after all, not the priest’s
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Interesting. Kathy. I think the whole Wesleyan theologies of communion and baptism are right on. Now if we can only truly get to be about “Open Hearts, Minds and Doors” for all.