Waiting!!!

Mark 14:22-24  And as they were eating, he took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many.


The words of Jesus frame the instructions about the sacrament of the Eucharist. We say in the Episcopal Church that a sacrament is the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. I love the sacramental nature of our church. I can so often know the reality of Jesus love for me in the experience of the sacraments. I always take special notice of the words of Jesus on his last night with the disciples. When Marsha got sick we both knew that our time together was limited. It was not like we knew when it was the last might, but we surely knew our time was limited. I'm not saying I didn't waste any time saying or doind meaningless things during Marsha's last days, but I was clear that I needed to say the important things to her and show my total and complete support for her. I didn't waste time with pretense or unrealistic conversation. I wanted her to know the most important things about my love for her and the blessing she had been for my life. No wasted time and effort.  I'm sure Jesus had even more need to let the disciples know all he needed to share with them. Nothing left out or left behind.


Because the Eucharist was one of those last items that Jesus revealed, I place among the most important. I'm not saying that it is some miracle event. Aa a protestant catholic, I see the sacraments as guaranteed place where we can come directly in contact with Jesus. Th Roman Catholics believe that happens automatically because of the action of jesus in the prayer of consecration. The protestant church believes the Lord's Table is only a memory of the last supper not real contact with Jesus. The protestant catholics believe that real grace is available in the sacrament but this grace is only available as we accept it with faith. If you take the bread and the cup with faith that you are actually receiving the direct presence of God's grace then you will receive it. Approach the sacrament as just a piece of bread and a sip of wine without faith and the grace is unavailable to you. 


I've been so blessed that I know I meet the rel true jesu every Sunday in the Eucharist and other times through the other sacraments. Will you meet Jesus this week? He is there waiting for you to just accept his grace.