In my absence from serving a congregation I've missed sharing in communion the very most; which means I've been thinking about it often ... very often! It is this same microscopic stretch of life with yeast that applies to bread, and the sharing of communion. Christians everywhere, no matter what they call it, how or when they celebrate it, they recognize communion spreads life. In her reflections on communion, writer Sara Miles asks a life long question in take this bread:
"What makes the bread into the body of Christ? What makes words more than words, mortal flesh more than mortal flesh; what makes a piece of toast into a sacrament?" page 271
In divinity school we spent time trying to analyze questions such as this. I cherish combining the intellectual and spiritual - it's what feeds my faith and keeps it alive. It's what's feeding me right now, but I often wonder if the bridge between these two is a living imagination? The science behind active living yeast is sound, yet even with the help of tools you still need to imagine this life. The faith behind God's abundant table is sound, yet it takes your imagination to see how this can apply to all living things ... no matter how small or insignificant they may seem.
I get to spend time with one of those little lives. A few days a week I care for a 3 year old little boy; and beyond exploring the abundance of museums in DC, this little guy makes me explore my own world in a whole new way. A few weeks ago over lunch, as I ate my potato kale soup, and he his "Cars" themed Campbell's chicken noodle soup, he happily remarked "hey, we're eating the same thing!"
I said "Yes, we're both eating soup, but mine has potatoes in it."
Knowing his favorite character from the movie "Cars" was 'Mater, the rough and lovable tow truck, he responded "yeah, mine just has 'Maters."
I chuckled, but was also struck by his ernest response. These were not noodles in the shape of 'Mater, they were genuinely 'Mater for this little boy. There was no need to ask questions, or think too deeply about it. The shape of these noodles was enough for this kid to recall the joy 'Mater brings to his life; very similar to the way a simple loaf of bread and shared cup is enough for us to recall the abundant life that God gives to us. Asking questions, and having faith are necessary, but when you bridge the two with this kind of imagination, that noodles evoke joy and bread instills life, then the table leaps beyond the sanctuary and the invitation to be served transforms us to serve.
This life that is shared seems to dwell on a microscopic level, we can't always see it. But when this life is shared and lived in this way it seems to expand, leaving traces of love everywhere. Continuing her reflection, Sara Miles claims that faith and "Christianity wasn't an argument I could win, or even resolve. It wasn't a thesis. It was a mystery that I was finally willing to swallow. I was loved by a big love." "take this bread" page 274
We are loved by this big love. This living yeast yields a big loaf.
Rather than argue how to do it, when to do it, why we do it, perhaps we just need to happily receive the bread, the life we've been given, so we might share it with others. It might seem like a tiny thing, but just think how quickly it spreads!
Now that's a life to imagine!
Knowing I was writing on communion ... yet not fully knowing what I was going to say, I chose this Nutty 5-grain Italian bread for today's kneading reflection. It's just like communion, wholesome, rich, and a little bit nutty. :)
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