Holy Communion, or The Eucharist (Greek for giving thanks) is central to our worship. If we are life-long, churchgoing Christians, we remember when this was celebrated very infrequently, maybe only twice a year. As a pastor, I have heard so many questions, even complaints, about “why the change? It doesn’t feel special anymore”, and similar comments. I respond by reminding them that it is to remember that it is for our forgiveness. We come to the table of mercy broken and contrite. Whether we as evangelical Lutherans are dogmatically, doctrinally more “correct” than other church bodies, I don’t think so. But after some fifty years or so since the suggestion (return to tradition?) began, I can tell you that it now feels really weird to have a worship service without Holy Communion.

Drinking Jesus’ blood. As first Communion students, I’m sure we 1) recoiled in horror, 2) gasped and gulped, or 3) said “No way!”. Even those first disciples might have had pause before they took that cup. But it was the blood of deliverance, the Passover. Spilling the blood of the Lamb is sufficient. God offers the eternal solution in Jesus. It is explained in Hebrews 10:4: “…because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin.” We are the children of the new covenant. As my congregation sometimes tweaks the method and process of distribution of the Lord’s Supper, we may not do it the most “correct” way. Yet the Holy Spirit and the words spoken confirm and validate what we perform. The covenant, the promise of God’s redeeming, forgiving grace, are certainly conveyed. We do this as often as we can. I grieve the absence of full Communion fellowship amongst all Christians, also the infrequency of celebrating the sacrament brought on by the pandemic. Still, we drink of the cup of salvation, the blood of the Lamb, sacrificed for us in unconditional love.

Pastor Art