Saturday, April 2, 2011

...and a little child shall lead them (Isaiah 11:6)

I am officially on record (in as many places as I can think of) as hating those thin, pre-fabricated
wafers called “hosts” that churches use for Holy Communion.  Those Styrofoam-like discs do not look like bread; they don’t smell like bread, they don’t taste like bread – because they are not bread.  It has often been said, that it's easier to believe that the bread and the wine contain the real presence of Jesus than to believe that those hosts are bread. 

I will admit that when I see that the volunteer bread bakers have not done their magic on a specific Sunday morning, my spirits droop and I dread taking and serving communion. 

But I gained some insight recently – through the testimony of a small child… a five year old in our parish, who is an amazing creature, with more insight than I have, in this case.  As she and her mother were making their way up the aisle to the communion rail several weeks ago, she said, “I wonder if God will be crunchy or soft today?”  Her mom was perplexed and asked her what she meant. “You’ll see” this tiny mystic cryptically replied. 

They knelt together at the rail and the priest gave the little girl one of those flat, crackly orbs.  “See” she said, whispering to her mom, “crunchy!”

What this darling child understands better than me is gratitude and taking delight in the real presence of her Lord – whatever form that Lord might appear in on a given Sunday.  She understands why that little wafer is called a “host” – because in whatever form Jesus comes to us, He is always extending the utmost hospitality… both the bread and the host accomplish what God intends   - they are just little reminders that Jesus will go to whatever lengths necessary to be with us and to be present to us…including suffering the disappointing outward sign of a tasteless, flat morsel to represent His gift of self-less love and sacrifice for us. 

Thanks be to God and thanks be to little girls. 

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