It's June 24, 2021 and I just want to say "Oh Church People!"
The current president of the USA, Joe Biden, is a devote and practicing Roman Catholic. Bishops in the Catholic church are in serious discussion about whether or not they will deny Biden communion, one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. This is because although Biden, personally does not believe in abortion, he refuses to sign federal laws banning all abortion and other restrictive means for women's healthcare. Biden is demonstrating a founding principal of the USA - separation of Church and State and demonstrating that religious freedom means that all faith expressions and that one fraction of a particular tradition doesn't speak for the whole tradition (I speak for my own faith perspective and no one else's just like the the Catholic Church doesn't speak to my faith perspective).
What I find so interesting is that the sacrament (ordinance in some traditions) of communion was instituted by Jesus himself in that upper room. Jesus shared bread and cup with all of those in that room. Jesus is connecting humanity with God and make a point to teach that this about God being present in the room and us. There's not asterisk in Jesus' teaching that says "all are welcome but..." It's interesting that humanity has taken over a table of welcome and grace established by God and turned it into a contest of who is worth or not.
I'm not really surprised by this because humanity has this things called pride - the need to feel better than someone else or to make sure we know who is include and who's not. I get that this will always be lurking in the background of humanity and will rear its head at times. But y'all to have a group of men (literally men because lets twist some things and add things that are not in the Bible) sit and debate whether or not someone is worthy of the hospitality and grace and mercy and love of God, demonstrated in the sacrament of communion because they didn't do what you thought they should. What a missed opportunity to embody God and extend welcome and inclusion even though we don't agree on everything.
Often times when I am at the communion table I say something along the lines of: "Come to the table. Not because it's my table, or this congregation's table, but because it is God's table. God welcomes all no matter what. So come and taste and see that God is good." And here's the thing - the truth is that although a communion table or altar may be located in a particular location and that maybe someone's memorial funds were used to purchase it or the altar clothes used - that table is God's. It's no one else's.
I have yet to find a time that Jesus or God or the Holy Spirit said ban people, or check whether you humans deem them to be fit or not. I've just heard care for people, love people, love God, love yourself, and go beyond yourself to offer extravagant welcome and hospitality.
So Mr. President despite what a group of men say about your worthiness to communion with God in a sacrament - know that this minister and many others across the globe are ready and willing to communion with you. We are ready to share God with you because God has given us so much that we can't help but to share it with you. We are ready to see God in you as you see God in us and know that there no human limitations put on you because that's not our job.
I pray that the Church, universal, will stop using its position and power to bend the will of people in one way or another. I pray that it will embody God's love for all and stop having debates about the worthiness of a person or group of people. I pray that we will do better to love more. Amen.
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