I’ll admit to being disappointed at not
being able to hold Maundy Thursday mass this year. This is one of the most
moving liturgies in our calendar, and, traditionally, at Faith Lutheran, it’s
the mass at which we introduce first-time communicants to the Lord’s Table. I
look forward each year to washing the feet of the kids who are making their
First Holy Communion and to re-living that sacred night in which our Lord showed
such humility and love, and in which he suffered so much.
Unfortunately, the global covid-19
pandemic forbids us from celebrating together this year. Some of my parishioners
have asked if it would be possible for us as a congregation to observe safe
social distancing in the midst of the epidemic with a “drive-through”
communion. At my wife’s suggestion, I ran this idea past our very sagacious
bishop, the Right Reverend Patricia Davenport, who declined to permit such a
celebration and graciously sent to me an article from my old Lutheran
Confessions professor explaining why this is not something Lutherans do.
Lutherans have always kept this celebration
sacred by insisting it be presided over by a properly called and ordained pastor.[i] Nevertheless, it is not
actually necessary for our salvation. Instead, we have always valued the communal aspect of this sacrament. We
all get to hear the Word of God together, we confess our sins together, and we
share this common meal. If we are to distribute the elements without everyone participating
in the prayers of consecration, and if we’re all segregated in our own vehicles,
we rather defeat the communal benefit this meal is intended to provide.
Holy Communion is not a good work which
grants us points with God. Neither does it promise us salvation by its mere
performance. Rather, it’s an expression of God’s love for us through the death
of Jesus Christ. It is best experienced in a community setting, and it is best
received by those who believe the words “for you” and “for the forgiveness of
sins.”[ii]
When I teach First Holy Communion class to
third and fourth graders, I try to impress on them five things they should
know:
1.
Holy
Communion reminds us of Jesus’ sacrifice for us on the cross.
2.
By
“for us” we mean for everyone.
3.
Jesus
offered the sacrifice of his own body and blood, so he is with us in his body and blood whenever we receive Holy Communion.
4.
We
know when we take Communion that God has forgiven us all our sins. It’s pretty
obvious we are loved when Jesus is willing to die for us.
5.
Even
though we are remembering a very sad event, this meal is actually a Thanksgiving dinner because Jesus loves
us, is with us, and forgives us all our faults.
Even if we can’t celebrate at the Lord’s
Table together this year, I’d like to recommend to everyone that we read Matthew’s
description of this holy night in Matthew chapter 26, and also look at the
appointed gospel lesson in John 13:1-17, 31b-35.
We will be together again soon. In the
meantime, may the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to
eternal life!
[i]
See the Augsburg Confession, Article XIV.
[ii]
See the Small Catechism under “The Sacrament of the Altar” Who, then receives this sacrament worthily?
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