One Bread, One Body - March 28
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 89:1-18; PM Psalm 89:19-52; Gen. 49:1-28; 1 Cor. 10:14-11:1; Mark 7:24-37
Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. - 1 Corinthians 10:17
Once a month, Saint Stephen’s ventures offsite on a Saturday morning to appreciate the beauty of where we live through a Holy Hike. These hikes are usually three miles or less, and over the course of the hike, we participate in a progressive Eucharist. We pray the opening prayer at the trailhead, then we stop somewhere along the way to hear the Gospel for the morning. Later in the hike, we pray for ourselves, for our community, and for the needs of the world. Finally, towards the end of the hike, we stop and break bread.
When I am the celebrant (the priest on the hike who officiates the service), I’ll stop at Publix and try to find a fun and tasty loaf of bread. Earlier this month, when we gathered at Tranquility Lake at Oak Mountain, we shared a beautiful garlic loaf of bread and the community gathered was eager to share the rest after communion was over. If this sounds odd, think about what the Eucharist really is, a sharing of a meal together. As we gathered on a trail, it felt very much like it could have been during the early days of the church, people traveling around and breaking bread as Christians on their journey.
What was clearer on that beautiful Saturday morning earlier this month, was just how difficult it was to tear the bread as we finished the Eucharistic prayer. Grabbing the loaf and physically breaking it apart so that we could share together was more evident than on a typical Sunday morning. I had to use a little muscle to take the large freshly baked loaf and tear the body in two. And then we all shared this sacred gift, being intentional about how each piece was broken apart.
As Christians, we all receive the source of life from the same place. Gathered around with a single loaf of bread is a physical reminder of this. The tearing of the bread is also a reminder of Christ’s body being broken, an image of the way to life coming through brokenness, pain, and separation. What immediately follows that pain and separation is life, renewal, and hope.
in the fifth century, one of the church fathers, John Chrysostom, said that the only unreconcilable sin was schism because it breaks apart the body of Christ. It might be a helpful reminder, as faithful people, we are united as the body of Christ, brought together by brokenness, pain, and separation to find the source of life dwelling in each of us and binding us together. That is what we profess as faithful people when we come forward to receive the gift that God has made for each of us, a hopeful reminder in an always challenging time.
John+
Questions for Self-Reflection: How does the Eucharist nourish you? Do you notice a difference when you have not been able to receive?
Daily Challenge: Consider joining Saint Stephen’s on Saturday’s Holy hike. Information can be found here. We will meet at Orr Park in Montevallo at 9 a.m. this Saturday.