In Remembrance of Me

At the close of the pastor's message Sunday, he came down from the platform and picked up a Communion tray from the table in front of the pulpit. It seemed a little different, with no tray for the bread. Then I saw congregants receiving a tiny cup with what looked like a sealed cover which was being pulled open.

I was even more surprised when the neighbor in front of me showed me how to peel back the cover, to discover a small, white disk. The communion bread! Under that was the cup of the covenant! Tasting the paper-like disk, which dissolved quickly, I thought about the broken crackers that had served as bread forever in our churches past.

We followed the communion ritual, as the words of Jesus were being read, Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you,  I will  not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."

And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

I read a story of a young girl who was so excited about her First Communion. She was nervous as she sat by her father, awaiting the passing of the communion. Finally, her turn came, and her hands shook as she took the cup, only, to her horror, to drop it and spill it all over her special dress.  Looking at her father, she didn't know what to expect. Then he passed his own communion cup to her, enabling his daughter to have her first communion. No doubt she felt God's love for her, even as her own father loved his daughter.