Caleb Mechem's Blog
The Lord's Supper / Feb 7, 08:31 AM
A couple weeks ago, one of my housemates and I decided to get some pizza and share it with some guys who we’ve seen sleeping out around City Hall here in Camden. To be honest, I only went because Jason invited me along; I wasn’t particularly excited. I just did it because I didn’t have much else to do.
In fact, I was a bit afraid. I’d tried before to meet these fellows and they were pretty uninterested in me.
But we went and we sat down with these four or five guys and we ate a couple pizzas. One of them told us a lot of stories about peoples’ kindness and God’s provisions and they told us a few jokes. After about fifteen minutes, I stood up, told them how happy I was to meet them and started to leave. As I walked away one of them said, “Thanks for breaking bread with us!”
His words have stuck with me. All those Sundays that I ever ate a wafer and drank a sip of grape juice came rushing into my head. What are we doing when we partake in that tradition? I’ve come to the conclusion that what we’re doing is symbolically committing ourselves to one another. Not to the people we’re sharing a pew with, or to our congregation or denomination or to the structured American Church. We’re committing ourselves to Jesus and to anyone and everyone who remembers him.
And I think the true beauty must come when we step outside of the symbol. Instead of merely taking part in a two-century-old tradition, let’s also share food and talk about our experiences of God with the people that society tells us we should be staying clear of. Business people and homeless veterans, retirees and teenagers, Pacers fans and Pistons fans, Iraqis and Americans: let’s all share a table together. After that Saturday afternoon, I’m convinced that that is what true Communion is.
Let the wafer and the juice be a reminder.
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checking out MY teams this year as I’m a philly alum. Came upon your entry.. brought me back to “breaking bread” Me and my teammates used those words as we would invite the same neighbors over and over to eat with us. We often felt closer to the true meaning on those nights then when in a church. Thanks for reminding this old alum to continue to “break bread”. Blessings on you and your team as you finish up the year and hopefully find Jesus in each “breaking of bread”, laugh with a stranger, or just walking down the streets of Camen
By Christy Hout / May 5, 09:45 PM / #