We had Communion today at church. I hesitate a bit on this one because I know that some people get rather upset about things like this. It's all about Pk having Communion with me. Some churches totally frown on children taking Communion and make a huge deal about its start in their lives. Communion and Baptism are two things I don't talk about much because those that do, feel really strongly, those that don't feel strongly and the appropriate age for each can be pretty controversial, too. So, I may offend people here but really, who would be reading this blog if they were that set in their ways? I do tend to amble all over the spectrum...
Anyway, I am off topic. I grew up in a denomination that didn't use to allow children to take Communion. To be honest, I don't know what the official position is but I do know that one time, when Dad gave me Communion when I was 7 or so, some people were upset. The idea was that young children would somehow be degrading Communion by not taking it as seriously as it deserves (you can imagine the furor when my father allowed a woman with severe Down's Syndrome to join the church - instead of taking her through the long-winded questions of the day, he asked her whether she loved Jesus, which was good enough for him and fortunately, also for the session of the church).
Well, times have changed. At our congregation, anyway, not only are children allowed but the nursery and Sunday school kids get fetched back into the sanctuary before Communion begins. Pk has been there before but really, it was a disaster (last time, she threw a major fit because she wanted all the bread for herself). Today, she seemed to have the idea that something special was happening. It was also special given that it was the first Communion that happened in the new church and the minister insisted that instead of our sitting spread out around the sanctuary, we actually compress ourselves so that we were sitting with neighbours. I had an older man I had never met before sitting beside me very tightly on one side.
As the bread was passed, Pk seemed very interested. She grabbed at the bread with abandon (although fortunately, this time, she was o.k. with just one piece). When the wine came around (grape juice at our church), it looked like there might not be enough (a great problem to have) and so I took one for us to share. She was desperate for it. She kept trying to grab it out of my hand and I finally let her have one sip. Her face lit up (guess her sitter has never given her grape juice - we don't give juice at home). She started bugging me for more. By the time everyone had been served, she was falling over herself (so I only got a tiny drop- again, it was enough). Then the thought dawned on me - as Christians, we should be so eager for this gift. We should be gleeful and enthusiastic and joyful. We should be "tasting and seeing that it is Good!" In her abandon, she had given me a clear lesson in faith.
Then came the best part. I had been a bit concerned about the man beside me - she was being pretty restless and I didn't want to disturb someone else's quiet moment. When Communion was over, he turned to me and said, "What a beautiful thing that was to watch."
I find that in the joy they take in many things, they can remind us to look with new eyes, taste and smell anew, hear with more attention, notice the feel of everyday things. They don't take those things as ordinary and granted yet, they are still special. So too, here.
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