The Holy Communion and
Personal Devotions
By
Sunday the 18th, our churchgoers will see something new available for use
during our 8:30 and 10:30 Eucharists. There will be a small table set up at
the back of the pews (on the right side of the aisle as you come in) with
pamphlets that offer personal devotions for your use during the distribution
of the Holy Communion. We hope that you will pick one up as you come into
church, and then leave the pamphlet on the table when you leave (those left
in the pews will be collected and returned, but you can really help the
ushers and William out by returning them yourself). As your priest, I feel
that these devotions are very important because they can deepen your
experience of worship. I say again that worship is the primary way to
nurture and mature your life in ministry for the sake of the Gospel of
Christ in the world. The stronger and richer your life of worship—the more
intentional and focused it is—the better your discipleship from day to day
will be. This means that your Christian life will be more fulfilling for you
as a person, the vision of Christ experienced and realized more and more
around you.
Over the years here, I've noted my concerns about our spiritual focus during
certain times in the liturgy. Specifically, I've written about the Peace:
what it's really about and what we should—and shouldn't—be doing to honor
that moment of worship, and I've also suggested ways to pray on your own for
those in the congregation while communion is being distributed. [For your
reference, I'll try to get those old articles re-posted on the "Pastors'
Page" index on our website.] Since our rail is relatively small, the
communion takes some time to complete; when attendance is up the
distribution itself can take over 15 minutes. That's a long time to sit,
whether you're waiting to go up or waiting for the others to receive. The
Choir offers music during this time, and often this includes congregational
singing, but still I've noticed some significant "disconnection" throughout
the pews with what is happening at this time. Of course, this can result in
distraction for those who really are trying to enter and hold their prayers.
It has seemed to me that much of the congregation—either before or after
receiving communion—looks rather more like a group waiting for a plane at an
airport gate than people at worship! Maybe it feels something like that to
you. It can be so easy to lose hold of the true spiritual depth of such a
magnificent moment in life, being offered the Body and Blood of Christ. In
any case, I hope you'll find these new pamphlets to be a meaningful part of
your Sunday mornings.
"Personal Postscript" ... I began thinking about all of this several
months ago when I was asked about my personal prayers at the altar just
before the Eucharistic Prayer begins (I do this just as the Presentation
Hymn is concluding). A person had noticed that I was moving my lips during
those prayers, and wanted to know if that was some "special prayer" for
priests, just something personal, or what. In olden practice, and still so
in very traditionalist "high church" places, there are prescribed, private
prayers that a priest is to say before beginning the prayer of consecration.
My devotions at that time are not those prayers, but simply two prayers that
are important to my spirituality as I am about to exercise what is to me the
greatest privilege and most awesome responsibility of priesthood: to preside
at the Lord's Table as He Himself comes as He promised to make bread and
wine His Body and Blood. I guess these would be my own version of the kind
of personal communion devotions I am trying to offer to you in our new
communion pamphlets. I say the "Hail Mary" to recall her presence to me at
this wondrous time [after all, she "presided" as Jesus came to us in the
first place]:
"Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed
are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy
Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our
death. Amen. "
I
also say what is commonly known as the "Jesus Prayer" so as to remember just
who I am in my own sinfulness, and yet - how stunning! - am nonetheless
empowered by God's grace to be a priest for God's people:
"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on
me, a sinner."
I
like to say these prayers very quietly (rather than silently) as that helps
me to be more intentional in what I'm doing and to be more centered in their
meaning. There are so many such prayers and devotions that are appropriate
for communion devotions. Maybe the pamphlets won't be for you. In any event,
I invite you to find your own voice and versions of prayer for the time of
worship in which you are indeed encountering the Real Presence of Jesus
Christ in your body and soul.
Blessings,
Shannon+
