More Communion Creamer with your coffee?
The Autom Online webshop (Inspirational Gifts since 1948) now offers Communion made easy--"especially convenient for offering communion in the hospital, at home, or other places outside a formal church setting". Huh. The idea of putting crackers and juice in coffee creamer containers so you can take Communion 'on the go' seems a little strange at first, but let's think about some stuff. Remember the Corinthians? Their ideology concerning Communion was literally a celebration of community. They partied as they enjoyed the fellowship of each other while thankfully remembering the grace given to them by Jesus Christ at the Cross. I totally believe that Communion may be remembered in a celebratory or somber fashion. In fact, Jesus commands us to remember Him and what He's done for us (at the last supper)--Whether that's in Church with our eyes shut and heads bowed, or hanging out with other believers and saying "Dude, it's awesome that Jesus has died and given His blood for us". I don't think God has a preference, as long as we're not missing the point. One may feel more "spiritual" compared to the other, but I believe that basing your relationship with Christ on your personal emotions is erroneous. What matters is you're spending time with Christ, remembering that He has died for your sins so that we may be with Him. It's also important that you reflect on this fact. What does that mean? Well, to reflect on something usually means to consider deeply, or to give something lots of thought. But reflection of Communion means to let your life reflect (like a mirror) the fact that Christ has given His life for us. I think these are the two huge points that Jesus wanted us to get out of Communion: Remember what He has done for us, and let your life be changed because of that.
Autom offers these little cups of juice and crackers so that you may take communion in places outside of a Church setting. That's cool to me, as long as you're not missing the point. If your partaking in Communion (remembering the two points above) is dependent on having a cup of Welches and some Saltines, then you are definitely missing the mark. The Bread and Wine are representative, so that we may remember the Body and Blood of Christ Jesus. Jesus doesn't require you to have them in front of you in order to remember Him, but He tells us that by partaking in this act in fellowship with one another (community) will allow us to grow in our relationship with Him and each other.
So what's the point to all of this jabber? Remember that Communion is the rememberance and reflection of what Christ has done for us. How will our lives be changed because of this?
If having a portable cup with you and others helps you to focus on the facts above, then I think that's great. Just don't be dependent on physical things to intercede your relationship with Christ.
By the way, the 6-cup/wafer package sold by Autom can be ordered for only $4.99. But sorry, no C.o.d's.
Special Thanks to Jill "The Snoop" Dehaven, my lead reporter, for this find.
posted by Seth @ 11:19 AM
2 Comments:
Actually, I very much disagree with you. Check out these verses from 1 Corinthians 11 (which you reference, but don't quote):
27Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 29For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself."
That doesn't sound happy and "laugh-it-up" to me. It sounds like Paul is saying that Communion is something to be taken seriously, and that before we do it, we ought to take a serious look at ourselves, and a serious look at what Jesus did on the cross. It is not something to be taken lightly, as you imply. I think that "portable communion" is rather silly, and misses the point of all of this. The point is to take a deep look at the meaning behind what Christ did, and what that means for your life. We ought to do some serious self-evaluation before we go into communion. Yes, the end result of that is immense joy, but its a joy that has depth, becuase we haven't gotten there by being light-hearted. It's a joy that comes from seriously considering the amazingness of what Christ has done on the cross. It can become a celebration (it must, I think), but to me, only after a time of deep, serious relfection. To go into communion without taking time to really seriously consider it is to treat it without the reverence it deserves.
Oh, you need to change your blog to allow anonymous comments, by the way.
-Mike
I'd love to go through a Jewish seder sometime--the passover meal. I'm betting that would help us all get a good picture of the balance between celebration and meditation since that's the meal Jesus used to start our own "meal."
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