The following post was written by my dear friend and
theological interlocutor, Andre Lesperance[1]:
Early in the fall semester
each year I ask my new crop of students what they would do if they knew they
only had 24 hours to live. This
happens to be quite the effective icebreaker. The question, if taken seriously, is a window into our most important
values, desires, fears and hopes.
The question also sets up
one of our first units of study.
Jesus so happens to be someone who knew his death was imminent. What did he do in his last hours? How did he choose to spend his time?
The answer, according to the
four Gospels, is that he hosted a dinner with his closest friends. Yet the goal of this dinner was not
merely to cling to the past or relish their few remaining moments together. Jesus was laying out a plan for the
road ahead. He “took bread, and
after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.”[2] After the death and resurrection of
Jesus, the early Christian community would experience how the presence of the
risen Christ “was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.”[3]
It is unfortunate that the
very ritual given by Jesus in his last hours to foster unity and strength for mission
among his followers has been the subject of countless debates and
divisions. This is not to deny the
real and important theological issues at stake, of course. Such heated debates at
least testify to the importance of Jesus’ words and actions, as his followers
struggle to understand them as best they can.
Yet aren’t the times ripe
for building bridges once again where reformation-era debates have left gaping
holes and wounded hearts?
At a lived pastoral level, we
could start bridge building by suspending our initial assumptions about the other’s theology of the bread and the
wine. As a Catholic, I know that those in my own tradition can often be guilty
of such presumption—as I have been at times. Since Catholicism most boldly asserts the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist,
we can all too easily assume every other church’s belief to be merely a symbolic
remembering of the past.
On the other hand, perhaps
Protestants can all too easily dismiss the Catholic view of the Eucharist as superstitious,
divorced from the fundamentals of a heart surrendered to God. And yet, how many Catholics corroborate
this impression by their silent anti-witness of a life untransformed by Jesus, while
remaining faithful—even adamant—in their adherence to weekly communion? Indeed, it would seem that for many of
us Catholics, the words of Jesus to Philip would equally apply to ourselves: “Have
I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me?” (John 14:9).
While I stand in full
communion with the Catholic Church and happily assent to all of its teachings
on the Eucharist, I find it crucial to approach with reverence and often
silence the various Protestant attitudes toward the bread and the wine. As a starting point for doing so, as
well as for navigating some of the tensions between liberals and conservatives
within Catholicism, I find the following excerpt from Fr. Ronald Rolheiser immensely
helpful. It captures some of the
magnitude of this beautiful mystery that we cannot reduce to exclusive
territorial skirmishes. Rolheiser reflects,
There are lots of views
on the Eucharist:
·
For some it is a
meal, for others it is a sacrifice
·
For some it is a
ritual act, sacred and set apart, for others it is a community gathering, the
more mess and kids there the better.
·
For some it is a
deep personal prayer, for others it is a communal worship for the world.
·
For some its
very essence is a coming together, a communion, of those united in a single
denominational faith, while for others part of its essence is its reaching out,
its innate imperative to wash the feet of those who are different from
ourselves.
·
For some it is a
celebration of sorrow, a making present of Christ’s suffering and thus the
place where we can break down, for others it is the place to celebrate joy and
sing alleluia.
·
For some it is a
ritual remembrance, a making present of the historical events of Jesus’ dying,
rising, ascending, and sending the Holy Spirit, for others it is a celebration
of God’s presence with us today.
·
For some it is a
celebration of the Last Supper, something to be done less frequently, for
others it is God’s daily feeding of his people with a new manna, Christ’s body,
and is something to be done every day.
·
For some it is a
celebration of reconciliation, a ritual that forgives and unites, for others
unity and reconciliation are pre-conditions for its proper celebration…
·
For some it is
understood to make present the real, physical body of Christ, for others it is
understood to make Christ present in a real but spiritual way.
·
Some call it the
Lord’s Supper, others call it the Eucharist, others call it the Mass.
Who’s right? In truth,
the Eucharist is all of these things, and more. It is like a finely-cut diamond
twirling in the sun, every turn giving off a different sparkle. It is
multivalent, carrying different layers of meaning, some of them in paradoxical
tension with others…
There is no adequate
explanation of the Eucharist for the same reason that, in the end, there is no
adequate explanation for love, for embrace, and for the reception of life and
spirit through touch. Certain realities take us beyond language because that is
their very purpose. They do what words cannot do. They also are beyond what we
can neatly nail down in our understanding.
And that is true of the Eucharist. Any attempt to nail down its full meaning will forever come up short because it will always eventually get up and walk away with the nail![4]
And that is true of the Eucharist. Any attempt to nail down its full meaning will forever come up short because it will always eventually get up and walk away with the nail![4]
What does the bread and the
wine mean to you?
[1] Andre
Lesperance teaches theology at Marquette University High School in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin where he lives with his wife, Jackie, and three beautiful children.
[4] Ronald Rolheiser, “The Many Faces of the Eucharist,”
accessed on June 10, 2013 at http://www.ronrolheiser.com/columnarchive/?id=410
Really appreciated this article!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this very thoughtful piece. As a chaplain I minister to all those who believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and seek to love Him and His children by obeying His commandments (I Jn 5:1-5), and they come from a variety of traditions and denominations. I pondered and prayed hard about how divisive the very thing Jesus gave us all ... has become. So I truly appreciate and agree with these words:
ReplyDelete"Who’s right? In truth, the Eucharist is all of these things, and more. It is like a finely-cut diamond twirling in the sun, every turn giving off a different sparkle. It is multivalent, carrying different layers of meaning, some of them in paradoxical tension with others…
There is no adequate explanation of the Eucharist for the same reason that, in the end, there is no adequate explanation for love, for embrace, and for the reception of life and spirit through touch. Certain realities take us beyond language because that is their very purpose. They do what words cannot do. They also are beyond what we can neatly nail down in our understanding.
One thing I have done ... when conducting an interdenominational service is avoid the word "communion," as it causes everyone's differing theological history to frame the sharing. Instead, after reflective prayer, I just invite Christians to "Do this in remembrance of " Jesus. And then I read the Gospel account of the Last Supper, holding and passing the elements as I read the word. This act has served to bridge all gaps. I figure the Holy Spirit does among us and in us what is needed without us figuring everything out. It is a mystery, after all, is it not?
God is gracious, abounding in love. He bids His children come to the table whether they completely understand it all or not. And He blesses us.
Thank you both for the comments.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, your experience is encouraging and insightful. Thanks for sharing.
Indeed, as you said, “God is gracious, abounding in love”!
Andre Lesperance