It's Real!

Here's another story from the Buckle of the Bible Belt:

Trinity had a family visiting one Sunday morning -- parents and kids. They came to the altar rail to receive Communion. One of the children was communed first, and in a loud voice (everyone heard this) proclaimed "Don't drink it Dad! It's real!" (Trinity is located right across the street from the First Baptist Church downtown.)

Many people here in Oklahoma and surrounding Southern States have no realization that the Sacrament consists of bread and wine.  While there are major theological arguments to be made on that basis alone, I prefer to point out what the little boy said: "It's real!”

In my understanding, the Eucharist is real, Christ is Present, and He infuses our lives with His Presence during the Sacrament. 

In my tradition, there is a point during the Eucharistic prayer (called the Epiclesis),  during which the Celebrant invokes the Holy Spirit to bless the bread and wine so that it may be to us the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. The action of the Holy Spirit is what effects the consubstational change in the elements of bread and wine and Christ is with us once again.

The real point is that we are invited by Christ Himself to touch and be touched by the Holy. We take Christ Himself into our bodies, and our lives, leaving and being sent into the world, carrying Christ within us. How does that change our view of ourselves, and our fellow communicants? Can it give us the strength and outlook to be different; can it change our hearts to change the world?

Comments

[Josh Klee]

Leave it to kids to say good things.

[Rachel]

The first time I took communion as a baptised Christian I was blown away by the power of it. I felt it in the church. I felt it hours later, when it suddenly dawned on me that the body of Christ was still circulating around in my body. I do think that for me, it is a critical piece of the Christian experience.

It IS something we carry with us into the world.

Lovely post, Terry. Thanks!

[Account Deleted]

Terry, I really enjoyed this post. While I am not sure of the metaphysical aspects of "consubstantiation", I do love the emphatic expression, "It is real."

One of the problems is the nuances of common language. Some of us do not shy from using the word sacrament. But, by it often mean something different than an "avenue to get more grace to put in my basket." (Not that I think that is the way in which you use the term.)

I would use sacrament as a way to describe the way in which we encounter the grace of God. So, many things are a "means" of grace. Following on that line, I agree when we celebrate Communion, "It is real." The presence of Christ is real. The mediatorial work of the Holy Spirit to bring this to bear on/in our lives is real.

Too often our attempts at not being construed as one thing leaves we Southern Baptists weakening the very important spiritual experiences given us by Jesus.

"We take Christ in so we might live him out." While we may view "how" that actually happens, we like the language and implications for the Church.