Communing
By Glenn Thomas Carson, Ph.D.

The Host stands at the Table. Arms spread wide. Inviting. Is He inviting me? Yes.

The Table is always at the center. It is always set. It is always abundant. And when the Host steps up, with his gaze toward the horizon, he asks 'Will you come?' It is up to me to accept the invitation, or to decline. But, since he sincerely wants me to join him, why would I decline?

The Host stands at the Table. Arms spread wide. Inviting. Is He inviting you? Us? Yes.

It is the glorious news of the Gospel. Christ, the Host, invites every person, every time to his feast. It's not much to look at. Only bread and wine. Yet, in these two simple elements, he has poured his life and his love. He has invested himself into each. And as we eat the bread and drink the wine, we are at once receiving the very Person who made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf. Two common foods; one extraordinary love.

'Take this,' he said, 'and share it with everyone around you' (Luke 22:17).

This communing is both vertical and horizontal. I touch the divine at the Table, and I also touch you. Christ reaches out to touch you, and at the same time empowers you to touch me. He shares with us. And we share with one another.

Arms spread wide. Inviting. Are we invited? Yes.

The Reverend Dr. Glenn Thomas Carson is President of Disciples of Christ Historical Society, a general ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)