“Strive for peace with all men, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” – Hebrews 12:14
One of the most powerful moments in the Church is when we participate in Holy Communion. During this special time, the people of God remember the sacrifice of Christ and encounter God’s amazing grace, a gift that comes in the giving and receiving of the bread and wine. I love Holy Communion because, I believe, it is one of those extraordinary times when heaven and earth seem to collide.
I love the beautiful perspective I have as a pastor on the days that we celebrate Holy Communion. As the clergy stand in front of the congregation we look out on a sanctuary filled with diverse people. There are varied ages, political understandings, socio-economic positions and so much more. Yet, as we begin the celebration at the Lord’s table, each of those differences seem to drift away.
The opening invitation to the celebration of Holy Communion reads like this.
Christ our Lord invites to his table all who love him,
who earnestly repent of their sin
and seek to live in peace with one another.
Therefore, let us confess our sin before God and one another.
The amazing moment we all share in Holy Communion comes from the gracious invitation of God to set aside our current worries and concerns and come into God’s presence. When our focus moves from ourselves, and we begin to look to God, we experience “Peace.”
As we begin this week, with the heavy demands of our schedules before us, I want to remind you that God’s gracious invitation for peace is before you today as well. We may not be gathering for Holy Communion today, but we can look to God, and focus our hearts and minds on God’s gracious love. God freely gives the gift of peace because God is with us. What are you focusing on as we begin this week?
Rev. Keith King, Online Campus Pastor
