The Eucharist: A Miracle of Time

Devotional Reflection, Thursday, August 31, 2021 3

Proper 16, the week of the thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.

Key phrase for reflection from today’s Gospel reading:

22 While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, ‘Take; this is my body.’ 23Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. 24He said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.

You will find the full text of today’s Gospel at the end of this reflection.

Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 980)

AM, Psalm 18:1-20; PM, Psalm 18:21-50

1 Kings 3:16-28; Acts 27:27-44; Mark 14:12-26

Today we celebrate the Feast of Aidan. (See below.)

David's Reflections

Each time we gather for Sunday worship, we celebrate Holy Eucharist. On special occasions, like a baptism, a diocesan convention, an ordination, a marriage, or a funeral, we celebrate Holy Eucharist. Today’s Gospel gives Mark's version of Jesus' last supper with his disciples, a meal in which Jesus anticipated his departure and death and instructed that his followers continue to celebrate this meal as a remembrance of him. (That instruction to continue the meal in remembrance occurs in Luke’s and Paul’s accounts of the meal.)

The concept of remembering meant much more than a mere calling to mind. Remembering involved the dimension of reentering the past event. The disciples, by breaking bread and sharing the cup, would be reenacting that original meal and reexperiencing the power of Jesus’ death, of which the meal spoke. They would be bringing those past events into present experience with all the power of the original events themselves.

When we repeat Jesus' words of institution in Holy Communion, "This is my body which is given for you. This is my blood of the new covenant," we are indeed calling to mind his final meal and his sacrificial death. But, more than that, we are reentering those events as though they were happening before us. The saving power of Jesus' death comes into our present experience in bread and wine, the signs of Christ’s body and blood; we experience forgiveness, transformation, union with Christ and one another, and the strengthening of our inner being through Christ’s presence. It is not that Christ is sacrificed again in Holy Eucharist. Rather, it is that the power of that once-for-all death comes into our present experience. As J. Neil Alexander, my liturgics professor at Sewanee and later my bishop in Atlanta put it, the Eucharist is a miracle of time.

The Eucharist rests on the foundation, not only of the Last Supper, but also on the foundation of Jesus’ entire meal ministry with religious leaders (Luke 7 and 14, for example) and with outcasts and the undesirables of his culture (Luke 19, for example). And, that foundation includes the post resurrection meals shared with his disciples (Luke 24 and John 21). Our sharing in Holy Eucharist, therefore, most fully effects remembering when our celebration includes those without faith, especially the outcast, marginalized, and undesirable of our own culture and community and when it turns us outward in our focus toward the world around us.

What better way to share the essence of our faith with those who have none than to invite them to attend worship with us? They hear the story of Jesus' saving life, death, and resurrection in the Great Thanksgiving, and they actually see Christ's body and blood being received. If they come to Holy Communion, even their sense of smell and taste will become involved. They may actually experience for the first time Jesus' transforming love in the blessing of the priest or in the bread and wine or in merely observing the powerful images of people receiving communion. To put it another way Holy Eucharist acts as a means of conversion, a converting sacrament. The unconverted can be brought into a faith relationship with Christ through it’s power and we, the converted, experience ongoing transformation and conversion.

George Herbert, Anglican priest and poet, captured the essence of Holy Communion in his poem, Love (III).

"Love"

Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back,

Guiltie of dust and sinne.

But quick-ey'd Love, observing me grow slack

From my first entrance in,

Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning,

If I lack'd any thing.

A guest, I answer'd, worthy to be here:

Love said, You shall be he.

I the unkinde, ungratefull? Ah my deare,

I cannot look on thee.

Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,

Who made the eyes but I?

Truth Lord, but I have marr'd them: let my shame

Go where it doth deserve.

And know you not, sayes Love, who bore the blame?

My deare, then I will serve.

You must sit down, sayes Love, and taste my meat:

So I did sit and eat.*

*George Herbert, Selected Poems (London: Bloomsbury, 1997), p. 96.

©David W. Perkins, 2023.

Collect of the Day, Proper 16, the thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Grant, O merciful God, that your Church, being gathered together in unity by your Holy Spirit, may show forth your power among all peoples, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 232-33)

Today we celebrate the Feast of Aidan, missionary, abbot, bishop of Lindisfarne (died 31 Aug 651)

http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Aidan.htm

Collect of the Feast of Aidan

O loving God, you called your servant Aidan from the cloister to re-establish the Christian mission in northern England: Grant that we, following his example, may use what you have given us for the relief of human need, and may persevere in commending the saving Gospel of our Redeemer Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Of the Holy Eucharist

Especially suitable for Thursdays

God our Father, whose Son our Lord Jesus Christ in a wonderful Sacrament has left us a memorial of his passion: Grant us so to venerate the sacred mysteries of his Body and Blood, that we may ever perceive within ourselves the fruit of his redemption; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP , 252)

A Collect for Guidance

O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people; Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP 100)

For stewardship of creation

O merciful Creator, your hand is open wide to satisfy the needs of every living creature: Make us always thankful for your loving providence; and grant that we, remembering the account that we must one day give, may be faithful stewards

of your good gifts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 259)

A Prayer for Light

Lighten our darkness, we beseech you, O Lord; and by your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, Jesus Christ, Amen. (BCP, 111)

A Collect for Mission

O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 280)

Daily Office Gospel, Mark 14:12-26

12 On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, his disciples said to him, ‘Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?’ 13So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, 14and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, “The Teacher asks, Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” 15He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.’ 16So the disciples set out and went to the city, and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.

17 When it was evening, he came with the twelve. 18And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.’ 19They began to be distressed and to say to him one after another, ‘Surely, not I?’ 20He said to them, ‘It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the bowl with me. 21For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.’

22 While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, ‘Take; this is my body.’ 23Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. 24He said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.’

26 When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Daily Prayer Offices in The Book of Common Prayer Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, Book of Common Prayer Noonday Prayer, p. 103, Book of Common Prayer Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p. 109, Book of Common Prayer Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer Compline (Night Prayer), Page 127, Book of Common Prayer Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer