I have been struggling the last few months with Communion and what that means. I do not mean being in communion but the actual Sacrament of the Eucharist.
In preparation for Liturgy this Sunday we read from Mark 9:17-31. This is the story of the man that comes to Jesus because his son has the devil in him. Jesus heals the boy straight away. If we believe that Jesus is actually present in the elements of bread and wine when people approach Jesus in the Sacrament how can we turn them away?
It seems that in history we have used communion as a weapon to keep people in check. If you do not believe this or that then you cannot have Jesus. I don't think this is what our Savior had in mind. People approached Jesus and all he asked of them was faith and nothing else. How then can we keep people away.
Recently here in the area an Orthodox bishop sent a letter to his clergy telling them that they could not serve with clergy on another jurisdiction because their bishop has the same title as he does. Now I understand the canons and one city one bishop but I think there is another way to handle this situation. He, for all purposes, excommunicated that jurisdiction and further splintered orthodoxy. How than can we say in the Creed that we believe in One, Holy, catholic, and Apostolic Church? We are not one!
As Orthodox we believe that the church is a place for healing. That in fact the church is the hospital for our souls. I think the church should be an open and inclusive community regardless of race, nationality, gender, or sexual orientation! Love the sinner and hate the sin! Jesus hung around with some of the most despicable people because they needed him. But the church tells people unless they are this, and have done this, then you just stay in your seat because Jesus is not for you.
I guess I am advocating open communion. I don't mean that anyone should come up they should at a minimum be baptized in some Christian denomination. After all when I come out of the Holy Place with the chalice in my hands I say approach in the fear of God with faith and with love. If we believe that we gain some grace from the reception of the sacraments then why would we tell people who are struggling with some sin that they cannot come and receive that grace. Jesus never told anyone who came to Him for healing to go away! He died on the cross with His holy arms open wide to welcome ALL of His children not just a select few.
Now I know that some of you that read this will have some strong points in the other direction and you are certainly welcome to that opinion. I also know that this puts me outside of the mainstream of the Orthodox Church. But I feel that we need to STOP using communion as a weapon to separate and we should begin to use it a tool for healing, welcoming, and dare I say pastoring!
In preparation for Liturgy this Sunday we read from Mark 9:17-31. This is the story of the man that comes to Jesus because his son has the devil in him. Jesus heals the boy straight away. If we believe that Jesus is actually present in the elements of bread and wine when people approach Jesus in the Sacrament how can we turn them away?
It seems that in history we have used communion as a weapon to keep people in check. If you do not believe this or that then you cannot have Jesus. I don't think this is what our Savior had in mind. People approached Jesus and all he asked of them was faith and nothing else. How then can we keep people away.
Recently here in the area an Orthodox bishop sent a letter to his clergy telling them that they could not serve with clergy on another jurisdiction because their bishop has the same title as he does. Now I understand the canons and one city one bishop but I think there is another way to handle this situation. He, for all purposes, excommunicated that jurisdiction and further splintered orthodoxy. How than can we say in the Creed that we believe in One, Holy, catholic, and Apostolic Church? We are not one!
As Orthodox we believe that the church is a place for healing. That in fact the church is the hospital for our souls. I think the church should be an open and inclusive community regardless of race, nationality, gender, or sexual orientation! Love the sinner and hate the sin! Jesus hung around with some of the most despicable people because they needed him. But the church tells people unless they are this, and have done this, then you just stay in your seat because Jesus is not for you.
I guess I am advocating open communion. I don't mean that anyone should come up they should at a minimum be baptized in some Christian denomination. After all when I come out of the Holy Place with the chalice in my hands I say approach in the fear of God with faith and with love. If we believe that we gain some grace from the reception of the sacraments then why would we tell people who are struggling with some sin that they cannot come and receive that grace. Jesus never told anyone who came to Him for healing to go away! He died on the cross with His holy arms open wide to welcome ALL of His children not just a select few.
Now I know that some of you that read this will have some strong points in the other direction and you are certainly welcome to that opinion. I also know that this puts me outside of the mainstream of the Orthodox Church. But I feel that we need to STOP using communion as a weapon to separate and we should begin to use it a tool for healing, welcoming, and dare I say pastoring!
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4 comments:
Father, Bless -
After all when I come out of the Holy Place with the chalice in my hands I say approach in the fear of God with faith and with love.
What does "faith" and "love" mean? And how does this tie in with Baptism? If faith means loyalty, is it possible for the seeker at your table to be loyal to Christ without baptism yet? What about those martyrs who died for Christ before their baptism? Can we refer to a "Baptism of Desire" for those who stand at the table as well?
I assume in the Greek liturgy the words are "pisteuo" and "agape". Can a non-Christian come to the Fear of God and, feeling that call, show up at the table?
Would you know if he wasn't baptised or not? Would you ask? The person who would contemplate telling a lie at that point is, like his Christian friend, just another sinner. The person who would tell the truth at that point probably craves the communion even more.
I welcome your exploration of this...
Huw,
This needs more thought and I will do a follow up posting about it. I will say this. I have never refused anyone, nor will I, ever refuse communion to anyone. I do not think it is my place to do this and I think it is more of a scandle to refuse. I know I have people that are not Orthodox or that are in a state of sin but I am not about to judge them for fear of being judged myself.
Part of this is people need to just pay attention to their own lives and leave other people alone.
I would also support a baptism of desire and think it is just a valid. Fear is not a good word. I like the translation AWE and not fear. Perhaps I will change that for Sunday.
Huw,
I wonder whether the word is Agape. From reading Gregory of Nyssa on the Song of Songs, I think it might well be Eros. What difference would the word make?
Fr. Peter,
I think the difference the word might make is that Jesus loved the sinners with affection - I don't mean to say 'erotically' as our culture would have that, but with affection, delight, enjoying the rough substance of who they were. I don't think it's simply his gift as a storyteller that makes some of the 'bad guys' in the parables so fascinating and delightful. I suspect it's more like something I remember reading years ago in Manzoni's wonderful novel 'I Promessi Sposi,' a novel Dostoyevsky admired as I remember. The cardinal, Manzoni's saint, converts a very high-ranking crime boss and says (here I
ll risk paraphrasing something I read thirty years ago) that the boldness of his sin makes him closer to God than the petty sinners in the church. Whether it's 'Eros' or not, I think your right about the wildness of God's love for us and the startling way our first response of loving God back may first appear.
Donald Schell
Donald -
I'd not thought of Eros, but your note reminded me of the early saint we read in class (one of the Epistles of Ignatius, I think?) who referred to Jesus as "his love" in English and you pointed out that in Greek it was "Eros". (Which still kinda knocks me for a loop.)
Drawing near to God in Eros (rather than Agape) has so many added layers of meaning.
I do wonder which it is - I don't have a Greek Text of the the Liturgy here (it's still in Storage in Asheville!) Fr Greg? Are you out there to tell us which words we're talking about?
Fr Peter -
I'm not as concerned about the word "fear" as some might be, although "Awe" seems a better translation as does "reverence". But other words also work, "Pious Devotion" "Devout Piety", etc. The problem is that that invitation is so very succinct as it is. Adding more words would make the meaning more clear, but is that the point?
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