At first I thought about saying how grateful I am that it is weekly and how it draws me to church every week, but so does the friends, the coffee, the hymns, but not the donuts, which could be so much better. Several spoke similar thoughts (about being grateful of it's weekly nature, not of the donuts), so I sat quiet. Comfortable in my silence.
Anyway, just about the time he wrapped it up, my mind made a connection... so if I had spoke..
"The words I whisper as I take the bread. The words I whisper as I take the wine. I carry these back to my seat and as I bow my head, I pray these words.
INHALE... renew me
EXHALE... cleanse me
These are the words I have taken often into my meditation with friends at work on Wednesday afternoons. I try to keep my wondering mind silent by focusing on my Eucharistic prayer"
anyway that is what I would have said. And if I had rambled on some more maybe I would have spoken...
"Maybe I desire the weekly Eucharist because I so need to be reminded of what I need so much of in my life. And maybe I feel so alert and awake driving home Wednesday afternoons is because I have asked for renewal and a cleansing."
who knows?
...
It draws me too and I can't explain it either. I know people who say "I can't believe that you go to church almost every Sunday". I tell them "I don't go because someone tells me to go, I go because I want to go".
ReplyDeleteTonight I will center with friends. It has been a long time for that too.
My dad said at one point that it is beneficial to pray in groups....the "corporeal" experience. I agree. It is good to get together with ones about whom I care to worship as one body....
ReplyDeleteWhat I didn't say also, was that it keeps reminding me that I need to always remember....always work to be like Christ.....
In Pentecost, our church services last somewhere between 2-3 hours, the Eucharist a monthly practice, but the relationship you describe with it being a part of almost any service we might attend. I smiled at Kathryn's mention of others giving her question concerning her attendance, thinking of those who ask us why our services are so long. For me, it is much as you describe your taking of the bread and wine, for He is "in the Body" and "in the flow" of His presence in the midst of us. The "connection", whatever the location, is what it is all about.....
ReplyDeleteKathryn--- it amazes folk that I go to church and that I also have a decent jump shot ;')
ReplyDeleteGiggles--- hope we continue to pray together
Jim--- yes, many ways to make the connection ;')