The Basics of Bread and Wine
Why did Jesus choose the simplest things to represent His body and blood?
I have been in Redding, CA for 10 days and just returned yesterday.
The first Sunday we took communion. I also took communion each time I was in the prayer chapel, which is a beautiful building on their property.
I started thinking about how we like to be represented. How we curate our social media feeds to make us look good and how we position our conversations so we stick with topics we know well.
But when it comes to Communion, when it comes to celebrating the body and blood of Jesus, the most common elements are chosen.
Here are a few reasons why God chooses bread and wine and how it might help us connect heaven to earth today in our common, ordinary circumstances…
God loves using basic things that are rooted in everyday life so that we can get some deep insight into the most mysterious of spiritual truth. We can learn from the world around us, the thoughts within us and the everyday interactions we have with others IF we are in tune with our Dad.
In using the most common, basic elements of daily meals in the ancient world, everyone had access to them. Jesus ensured that communion would not be an elite ritual in doing so as He placed the sacred within the ordinary. BTW, He did the same thing with you and me! There is to be nothing elite within The Church even if there are some who are better teachers, they are not sharing uncommon, secretive “truths” but rather common, basic truths that are embedded in The Story.
God loves connecting the present with our past and with our future. In using bread and wine Jesus makes a Passover connection. Jesus takes the most familiar of religious objects and gives them new meaning. He does this all the time IF we are looking and listening! Your history has written you to this point today and today’s decisions and events will write you into your tomorrow.
We really aren’t supposed to use words like “Universal” anymore when describing the things of God because of the bad rap of “Universality” BUT bread and wine are universal symbols. Bread sustains life and wine brings joy and this has been true for most of the history of humankind. The more we work at finding “Nuance” in our words the more we will be able to influence others towards the kingdom of God.
Jesus used bread and wine so that WE, His followers, would always have a tangible, simple and universal way to remember His sacrifice. It is the gospel wrapped in the most basic of human experiences: Eating and Drinking.
Enjoying the journey with you,
Les
Below is a picture of my Communion cup and wafer combination.
