Broken the Body

Today was high Eucharist, a personal favorite of mine for all kinds of reasons. Chief among them is not actually the liturgy (I know you're surprised), but realizing that the person celebrating (presiding) and I probably have a more similar understanding of the sacrament than most of the people I normally receive from. I'm a Methodist, that means we affirm the mystery of real presence. But there is enough emphasis on the it NOT BEING transubstantiation that most pastors seem to have a painfully memorial and Zwinglian understanding of what's going on. Yikes.

See I know it's efficacious no matter the priest- thank you Cyprian. But when it's 'high' Eucharist (typically Anglican/Episcopal or Catholic) I know that the person presiding probably believes that this bread and this wine conveys the grace specific to our Lord's body and blood. Dad swears I'm still a Methodist because I affirm 'mystery' about HOW Christ is present (though I have suspicions). But it's definitely not JUST a symbol. And I love the days when other people treat it like more than Welch's and Hawaiian. This is my Lord's broken body, into which, unworthy as I am, I enter for my salvation.

Today the body was more broken than usual. I didn't receive today, because my good friend, Mike Boone couldn't receive. Because the body (already broken) has begun to fracture yet again. This will be one of two times this week (if I make it to Mass) that I won't be partaking in the host. At Mass i simply can't, I'm not in communion. But I didn't today because my friend could not. And it broke my heart.

I'm not going to comment on the rightness or wrongness of the reformation. That would be silly coming from a protestant twice removed. And I really dont want to comment on the divisions within the Anglican communion (although I'm warning you ACNA: the Methodists did the same thing two hundred years ago, and I'm unconvinced that it was a helpful move even counting the American Revolution).

All I want to ask is why we keep tearing the body apart? As I watched the celebrant fracture the host today, I just couldnt help but wonder why we do this to ourselves?

It made my heart hurt a lot. That may be the only helpful thing to say is that it breaks my heart.

love,
A