The aroma meanders through the chamber like a soft cool summers breeze, dancing on the edge of the senses with the soft footed gentleness of the most beautiful young princess, a whisking of flowing light garments. It touches the inner senses with a deep sense of satisfaction, feeding the hunger of body’s pure delight. It’s very bouquet has the amazing ability to both satisfy and illicit further hunger.

A golden loaf of light browns and earthly tans, crusted flakes, out from the warmth that bursts from within. Light goes in, binds to the essence of the pure white grain that rest under the surface, wrapping it’s arms around the bread that will not give, but sustain life. Heat, warm light, God’s created gift of being presented to the body for the nourishing of its parts, given by God for all parts equally, needed and free with love.

There is just a singe on the bottom where the bread came in contact with the fire baked stones, heat and fire to erupt the life generating processes that expand this wonderful gift of God from mere elements of the earth. Life within life, grain, yeast, water, a touch of salt, and oil, all the gifts any part might need.

He broke the bread gave it to his deciples and said;

“Take this, all of you and eat of it, for this is my body, my body which has been given for you.”

“Take this and eat, in remembrance of me.”

The bread was broken and given to all, everyone present took a piece, receiving all they needed, all that could be given by the bread.

Even as the foot sits in the dust, and has not the privilege to hear bread’s crispy sound as the loaf is broken, does the foot not benefit equally as the ear?

And as the hand which can feel the warmth, and has the privilege to break it, and give it, will never see it’s beautiful golden color, does the hand experience less?

The mouth can taste this wonderful blessing, and even to the One who speaks those Words, also tastes the same sweet flavors, as all that recline at the table. What gift does Father have for Him, the Son, does He not receive likewise an equal gift from the Father?

They all hear the Words, created by the Father; Son, sinner, and saint, all equally given, even as the rain falls on everyones head.

Even as the One gave, takes He also a taste, for as God gives so, does He feed in the pleasure of the gift.

Being raised a Catholic, the act of taking communion was taught to be something of reverence, a moment of sanctification.

But as I have spoken of the experience with others; a common question seems to speak though peoples heart, lingering on quivering lips as if an unspoken secret, a dark question one might hardly dare think, let alone speak; “I don’t know, but have you ever felt anything significant during the act of communion”?

Resting in the depths of such a question, resides a feeling of doubt, guilt for some kind of lack there of, as if belief might somehow be substantiated by the very manifest of such a question. How many souls have doubted their own beliefs as a result of the un-appearance of an emotional connection to communion?

There are many churches out there, in addition, where the taking of communion is only allowed if a number of prerequisite tasks are first completed. Rules need to be obeyed, people are told they must be or become members, given permission, a class or two might need to be taken, a prerequisite kneeling before a man, or just by being someone who happens to be appropriately dressed, and or employed. Oh, and heaven forbid, if they have participated in any activities that the said church deems unforgivable, prior to wishing to participate.

I have even heard them go so far as to say; if people partake without meeting the prerequisite set of qualifiers, they even risk a dire punishment from God, even unto death.

Well I felt God prompting me to examine this for a moment.

There seems to be a number of examples of instance in which Jesus, sits and dines, or drinks with people, in any and all of these instance, I have never heard him once place any kind of admission prerequisite in any of these attendance’s. As a matter of fact, in most cases He seemed to sit and dine with not only tax collectors and prostitutes, considered in that time to be the absolute bottom of society not only in cleanliness, but undeniably in the eyes of the church government at the time, but did He also not sit with the Pharisees and Sadducees who Jesus himself referred to as “A Den of Vipers”.

Or resting casually on the side of a perfect green grass carpeted hill as a few loaves and fishes are broken and given all to everyone over five thousand present, to the point of giving complete nourishment, with an abundant overfull, leaving nobody unnourished, who would but partake.

Either way in both cases there seem’s to be no prerequisite prompting to do anything prior to eating or drinking.

Yes He did say “Do this in memory of me”, when He shared His last breaking of break, and drink with them.

But why “think of Him” with this act?

Why not “Think of Me before you sleep” or “every time you kiss someone you love”? And while I believe there may be many reasons for the significance of breaking bread and drinking of a cup, as infinite many as there are infinite images of the Face of God all around us, one in particular comes to mind to this writer;

If God would have us think of Him, as often as we could, even with every waking breath, what a good start would it be for His children to at least think of Him and the sacrifice He made for each of us, with something that we at least do each and every day; eat and drink.

Some people need a physical representation of a supernatural act in order to bring heaven to earth in their mind.

A real feel of something in their hand, so as to give blessing to the hand.

Something to the lips, as to bless the lips and more even the mouth taking in the taste and reality of the gift.

Something to the ear, hearing the Word and through the sound, a creation of an image in our mind, not all that different then the creation of the entire universe by a single spoken Work back at the beginning of existence.

But did Jesus place any prerequisite as to who he shared bread with, who might hear, who might see? The invitation to the table, and as glorious as it must have been, there is no apparent sound of any word of restriction or exclusion. And while nobody was sent away, one did leave, turned and ran from the presence of God.

And even Jesus himself warned; “Better it is that one was never born, then to betray the Son of Man”, for sacrificed was but the reason He came to the earth.

For it is clearly written in Luke 22: 17-20 He shared bread and cup in the last supper, asking them to remember Him.

And it wasn’t until the next moment Luke 22: 21 that Jesus states; “But, Behold, the hand of him who betrayeth me is with me on the table”.

It was further written that “the darkness came into him”, because at that point Judas made his choice, and he fled. “For darkness looked upon light and it comprehended it not, and darkness fled.”

Sharing at the table of the Lord, while one partakes of a piece, all share, all are welcome.

As they take all from the same loaf, so is a piece of the same given to each, and each as a part of the whole enjoys and benefit’s in maybe a slightly different manor, but all are fed, all receive nourishment.

The Word that is given to a man through a man,
Who is God,
but has become man,
as to reach us all,
in loving gesture to come home.

A request to choose,
not a command to bow,
but merely to request to remember,
the sacrifice the Prince gave each and everyone of us.

That Word which is Him,
but is also part of a one as it passes through him,
and as a part,
it is of Him if but for a moment,
becoming Him the Word,
resting on the edge of his tongue and soul.

The thought which is God,
granted in His wisdom’s gift,
is life created out of light,
baked with the fire of glory,
and resonates into existence,
for all the ears to hear.

In the ears of all that come,
the Word rests on the surface of His children,
all who would hear,
God touching the ear of each,
and forming a picture,
creating in the mind of each of their soul’s.

The eyes then take each image in,
each and every gift of The Fathers’s creation,
every color forming into beautiful picture,
blending with their luscious desires,
fulfilling the hunger and pains as it forms in the mind,
that loneliness that has lingered since birth’s first day.

Grant to each of us,
in every part,
all that we would but need,
in our every part,
each in it’s capacity to feel, all what you would give.

Every hand that takes the bread,
every eye that takes the gift in,
with the ears receiving of Word,
with the mouth sweet taste,
into the body for all parts to benefit.

Is it not with any word given to any part of the body, any prophesy, any healing, can they not be used for all of the body?

Is not every gift for the body, if it is given by God for the entire body, all to use all equal all free?

By Peter Colla

“Dear Lord Jesus, help me to think of You each and every time I but eat or drink, for as freely as I receive the gift of these life giving nourishments, You gave Your sacrifice for my salvation as well. I merely have to believe and remember this simple fact, to receive the washing of my soul and clear out any darkness, so when I look at You, The Light, I will not flee.”