Communion

Last night, with it being the first Sunday in June, my church had Communion during our evening service. I've never liked Communion, except for the fact that it involves food, however small the amount. I always volunteer to help clean up afterward so I can drink all the extra grape juice. Anyway, it's just so formal and serious; it kind of scares me. This time, though, I viewed it a bit differently. As my pastor recited some of Jesus' last words, "this is my body which was broken for you," my mind turned to the Last Supper story that I had just read twice, in Matthew and in Mark. I pictured the confusion on all the disciples' faces at that statement. I continued, thinking about the flurry of events that came almost immediately afterward--the arrest of Jesus, the trial, the crucifixion, and the resurrection. Many of the same disciples who sat around that table in awe of their Lord failed him only hours later. When reading, for example, the story of Peter denying Jesus three times, I often shake my head and wonder how he could've done that. After all, he physically followed Jesus for about three years, and was even warned of it beforehand. Last night, sitting in the corner of my church, I realized something. Within the next few hours of honoring the same events that the disciples did, I, like Judas, would disown Jesus--maybe not on quite so large a scale, but by my attitude and actions. I, like Peter, would deny him, through my priorities. And I, like Thomas, would doubt him, through my failure to trust in the promises he has fulfilled repeatedly in my life. It was humbling, and changed my perspective. For anyone who reads this, I challenge you to think of either specific or general ways in which you disown, deny, or doubt God, and figure out how you can be more like Christ in those areas.