Some More Thoughts On Holy Communion

SUN., JUNE 25, 1995, 5:40 AM
FARM, STUDY

This morning, as a culmination of the worship service you shall participate in that old, familiar ritual/sacrament, Holy Communion. You probably will be a server, which will give you the chance to offer the verbal invitation to at least the first person in the row. There have been times when this sacrament has been a very holy, meaningful one for you… and other times that it has been just a ritual. What shall it be, on this day? I have taught you about this portion of worship before, but hear some more thoughts on Holy Communion.

This, of course, is the recollection of what is called the Last Supper, what is traditionally called Maunday Thursday. My time as a preacher/evangelist/healer had come to an end. The death of My body was imminent. I knew this full well. As the Gospel writer John told My story, as Jesus, there was no doubt that I must die for My declaration of relationship with the Yahweh of My Jewish tradition.

It still seems strange to you that I, as the Almighty, Omniscient Yahweh, having helped this Jewish people come to know Me and to know that they are a special chosen people, would come to them, as Jesus, acting and talking in ways that brought forth their wrath. In My plan I had to be a sacrifice for sin, and they had to feel that killing Me was the proper action. Earthly, bodily life is valuable, but I have taught you that prime spiritual principle: give up something good for something better. It is in giving up your life that you truly save it.

So… the time had come, and I gathered My disciples for a last meal together… before the End, which would also be the Beginning. The symbolic parts of the meal were bread and wine. At one “high point” in our meal I took the bread, I broke it, and I sent it around for each to take a piece. Then I said, “This is My Body, broken for you. Eat this in remembrance of Me. I go to My death, as it must be, but this remains as the Bread of Life.” They were troubled, but they had heard before that My time had come. I was saying that they had to take Me into themselves in order to be rightly empowered for trials ahead.

Then, as a match to the bread I took the chalice of wine, an ordinary cup blessed into holiness as a chalice. I said, “This is My blood, shed for you, and for uncountable others who will come after you. Drink of it, for it is truly the Cup of Blessing.” Each drank, and in this fundamental act of eating and drinking, of bread and wine, which were symbolically My Body and Blood, they became One with Me. Peter’s later acts of denying relationship with Me shows you that it can be hard to maintain and affirm the relationship. You know this quite well.

You are a bit surprised at My use of the first person in telling of this crucial act. Well, it’s just another revelation that I, as Holy Spirit, am still One with Jesus, the Christ and the Messiah, and We are One with Yahweh, Who also is God, the Father. You know this well by now, but I’m just reinforcing an important Truth.

This morning this shall be a quiet, solemn ceremony of remembrance, accompanied by quiet solemn music. It could just as well be a lively, sprightly party, with jubilant music, for you now know, and need not forget, that My death was quite temporary, in bodily terms, and “not really” in the spirit. I am with you, as Spirit, and I am with many others this day as the risen Christ. Remember Me, but I am not gone away. I am with you, even you. And any death can be envisioned this way.

Coming to Me, and experiencing Me coming to you, with this pen and this paper, is another sacrament. I am amongst you. I lead and I guide. I am not happy with every act and every word of yours, but that’s what this communion sacrament is about – forgiveness, acceptance, and empowerment to live life more fully… and to have no fears about the transition on to life without the physical body. Remember this as you give and receive this morning.

Shalom, o son
6:44 AM