FINALLY: Recieving Communion AS " the Body Of Christ"

Photo of the main entrance to St Christopher's Episcopal Church, Pensacola, FL. The COMMUNITY who meet here are my family and COVID19 physically separated us for months. Today we worshipped and had the Sacrament of Communion together for the first time in months. Photo by The Pensacola Hippie. 

Today, the Body of Christ that meets at 3200 North 12th Avenue in Pensacola, Florida came together to participate in & receive the Bread of Life. 

Our bishop, in his wisdom, required that all of us refrain from consuming the blessed elements until such a time as the Body of Christ can come together again.  This meant, that for clergy who chose to consecrate elements at the Eucharistic celebration, could not consume nor offer to anyone else present. The consecrated elements have been, for the past three months, been put in the tabernacle for later use.

Thank you for your wisdom, Bishop+ . 

I'd said before, and still hold true to the fact that I've missed my COMMUNITY  more than anything else during the lockdown. I stand by that statement, but I must tell you that I got  bit weepy after my priest handed me the wafer and I consumed it in front of the altar at " home". 

Church isn't a building, but being able to worship in the same physical space { with restrictions to keep everyone safe put in place and followed} with the PEOPLE who *** are *** St Christopher's Pensacola and received the Sacrament together was an incredibly Holy-Spirit filled moment. Knowing that we were celebrating Christ's Sacrament together-- bound as a community that has been scattered for months-- is something I'll soon not forget.  While it is true that the mandatory physical distancing  that was necessary to get COVID19 under control changed parish family life-- looking back I think it made our bonds of love even stronger. 

On Trinity Sunday, we are called to somehow imagine the Godhead as relational. To me, nothing is as symbolic as the relational nature of God and  importance of our relationships with each other as sharing the common Sacrament. It is true that we are called to have our own relationship with God-- but The Trinity reminds us that life with The Holy Three cannot nor should not be lived solo. 

Regarding the racial tensions that the murder of George Floyd has brought to light recently, I can say that I m proud to be a part of Christ's Body that recognizes the Divinity in every human. On Friday , several of my parish family made a pilgrimage of sorts to " The Graffiti Bridge. Several took shifts serving pizza to the rally's organizers when others just chanted, sang and prayed. I wasn't able to go , but protested from the safety of my home with a sign on our home altar. 

#BLM altar still set up in our home. Photo by The Pensacola Hippie 

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Yet, nothing is as special as coming together around the altar as a Body to received Christ's Body.  No mount of necessary physical distancing policies can rob Christians of our intimacy with Christ and with each other at the altar rail. Knowing that the people with whom I gather weekly to celebrate and take part in our Eucharistic Feast also are helping to make strides towards ending racism show me that I'm surrounded by a cloud of witnesses who wish to make life equal for all God's People. 

The Divine is relational therefore , so should we. 

With a grateful heart,

~Sarah 

Trinity Sunday 2020