I pray for those in need of sacrament

By Anglican Journal
Published April 1, 2003

Dear editor,

There must be millions of Christians today who receive communion in churches of other denominations than the one in which they received the sacrament of baptism. That is as it should be. We are baptized into Christ; not into a denomination. As members of the body of Christ, we are united and spiritually nourished by one simple act from the Last Supper: the action and the words of our Lord, which He asked us to repeat in memory of Him. That was before invasive theology complicated that holy of holy moments with words like transubstantiation, and our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ became divided by the very act that was intended to unite them in the loving sacrament. Only moments before Jesus had prayed, “Father, may they be one in Me, as I am in You.” (John 17:21).

Brought up as a Roman Catholic, I have now received communion with my sisters and brothers in most of the Christ-churches. I know that I am far from being alone in this and I pray especially for those who most often miss and who are most in need of this sacrament of reconciliation and love. I refer to our leaders, who are bound by rules, who proclaim distinctions, which must surely keep Jesus weeping; weeping for those whom he longed to gather under his wing as a mother hen gathers her chicks.

While the devil holds us apart in this way, how can Christ be fully present in His poor fragmented body? He will return in majesty the day we acknowledge that we are a reincarnation, not of the old exclusive Pharisaic orthodoxy, but of the living Christ! Let’s get moving! The time is short.

Peter Scott

Elora, Ont.

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