Why do we share the peace? What is confession? What is communion all about? (Teaching Communion Addresses)
Address 1 – Confession
If we say
we have no sin we deceive ourselves. The writers of the Prayer Book loved a bit
of Sin, and telling us how awful we all are. But is confession about beating
ourselves up? What are we doing when we confess our sins? Actually, are we
doing anything? Is it just our sins
we’re confessing?
We have
confession because even though we’ve been baptised we still sin. We come
because we’re people who believe in repentance. The Greek word for repentance
is metanoia, it means changing one’s
mind, turning from a destructive path. The whole of Jesus’ ministry was
focussed on repentance. ‘Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand.’ So when
Jesus talks about repentance, he doesn’t mean just being sorry. He means
turning from an old path to a new one, converting our lives to be in right
relationship with one another and with God. Baptism is the ultimate sign of
repentance, turning away from our old life and into a new life, but even though
we’ve turned around, we can still wander off the path, like an errant child in
a National Trust property, we sometimes touch the things we shouldn’t
When we
stand together here confessing our sins we’re holding ourselves to account
before God, and each other as a community. It’s not just our personal sins
we’re asking forgiveness for, but our corporate sin too. When we participate in
the injustice of our society, for example through what we buy, or using fossil
fuels. Sometimes our sin is unavoidable, sometimes it is preventable, sometimes
personal, sometimes societal, but we bind all that up together when we say
sorry as a community.
I prefer
the term reconciliation, turning back. When we’ve done bad things, an adult
acknowledges it, and does their best to repair the damage done. Confession is
not about beating ourselves up, but acknowledging our sin and seeking to do
better. When the priest pronounces absolution, It’s not some kind of magic wand
that takes away our sins, but it’s there to remind us not that God doesn’t hates
us, and that when we come before God in good faith, say sorry, attempt to turn
around from our Sin, God will and does forgive us, because God has reconciled
us through the cross.
God
forgives you. That’s what the absolution says, God wants you.
Address 2 – The Peace
Many people think that the peace is a
modern invention, brought in by the Church of England when Common Worship was
introduced at the millennium. Let’s do a straw poll, who thinks that’s true?
Who thinks that’s false?
It’s actually false, the peace is a
very ancient Christian practice that has its origins in the New Testament.
In Matthew 5, during the sermon on
the mount Jesus talks about being angry with people, and how it’s destructive
to the common life. ‘Therefore,’ Jesus says, ‘if you are offering your gift at
the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against
you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to
them; then come and offer your gift.’
Moreover, St Paul says over and over
again ‘greet one another with a kiss.’ The peace is all about reconciliation.
For Origen and Tertullian, two late first, early second century theologians,
they saw it as a seal at the end of the intercessions. A way of putting into
practice all that we’ve prayed about, by reconciling with one another. So even
back then the peace was Important.
Why does the peace matter so much?
Like our beloved venerable ex
incumbent says, church is about people. The peace is not about a weak handshake,
a fake smile and chatting with your mates, but reconciling with one another,
and recognising each other as fellow children of God.
When you look into the eyes of the
person you’re shaking hands with, particularly those who you find difficult,
try to see Christ looking back at you.
The peace recognises and reminds us
that we are the body of Christ together in this place, we choose to be a
community, and that you choose to treat others as if they matter to you
personally. It prepares us to be in the right mindset to receive the sacrament.
Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. If we refuse to greet those around us, what
does that say about us as the body of Christ? What does that say about us as a
community?
Through the peace it is God’s peace we’re
sharing to one another, because we’re here to try and love each other. The
peace is a start of that metanoia of turning to a new life.
Friends, brothers and sisters, when
we exchange the peace from now on, let’s all remember that It’s a sign of the type
of community we are, a community of love that reconciles to each other, that
forgives as we are forgiven, we are the body of Christ, and greet each other in
Jesus’ name.
Address 3 – The Eucharist
A banquet, a memorial, a place where
God is really present. Take, bless, break, share. These are the four elements
of the Eucharist. We take the bread, we bless it, we break the bread and then
share it.
These four things follow the pattern
of the last supper, and the whole of the Eucharistic Prayer is an Anamnesis,
that’s the posh theological word for remembrance. Jesus commands us ‘do this is
remembrance of me.’ We remember all that Jesus did, and is, through this prayer
and re enactment of the last supper.
But I believe there’s something more
going on here, something bigger and greater. For me the Eucharist isn’t just
about remembering Jesus and all he did, but I believe that Jesus is truly
present with us in this sacrament. This is the bread of heaven, the bread of
life that gives life and light to the world, which we share together as a
community.
In the Eucharist, as in his life here
on earth, Christ comes to be with us, the Son of God chooses us, and through
his presence seeks to unite us to God and to one another. He comes to teach us,
to be our food, to be our sacrifice, to make us friends of God.
It’s slightly mystical I think, that
God is present in this bread and wine when we partake of it. Sacraments, and
particularly the Eucharist are about God reaching for us, God who goes the
distance and is seeking always to bring us into greater relationship with
himself. Communion is just that, we commune with God, we attempt to reunite
with God when we take communion, we try to allow God to reach for us in the bread
and the wine.
We remember His sacrifice, we thank
God for Her abundance to us. That regardless of how many times we go wrong is
still there, is still reaching out to every one of us here saying, come to me.
Now time for another straw poll! Who
thinks that it’s only the priest that prays the Eucharist? Who thinks that all
of us do?
Well, this is where the answer is a
bit confusing. Some people believe that only the priest does, now that’s not
wrong, but It’s not what I personally believe.
You see the problem with this is that
it creates a separate priestly class, and in Christ there is no male or female,
slave or gentile. IT proposes priests do the magic bits up here, while everyone
else watches, which I think is wrong. I am not magical, though I do have a
dazzling smile. My hands are not more special than anyone else’s. They are
ordinary hands.
What I have is the authority of the
church to preside, and that authority is given to me by God at my ordination through
the people, and through the Bishop of Norwich. The people and the bishop have
recognised my calling from God, and given me the authority to preside, to pray
the Eucharist on their behalf. Not instead of them, but as a conduit of grace.
The president and the people preside,
together. We pray the Eucharist together, because the whole people of God are
gathered here, past, present and future. This is why we have the greeting right
at the beginning ‘lift up your hearts’, we lift them to the lord. Let us, us give thanks to the lord Our God.
We share one bread, we are united
together, we don’t take my communion, but our communion. We pray it together,
we share it together, just as God reaches for us and shares with us in this
most Holy Sacrament.
Isn’t it beautiful, it can become
really ordinary when we come here every week, when you take communion today,
perhaps pray on your way up. Pray the Eucharist with me. Pray that the Holy
Spirit will be present with you, pray that you might feel God’s presence within
you, and also pray for me as I preside, pray the Eucharist with me, because we
all share in this great and beautiful feast together.
Perhaps our prayer should be like the
disciples’ ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’
Address 4 – Going Out
And so we turn to the back, we face
the exit, we face the final curtain. We turn to face the back of church not
just to scare the people standing outside the glass doors, but because it
represents where we should be facing, outwards.
We are sent out by God to be the
bread of life in our communities. To go out and try to love God a little more,
and let other people know that God loves them too. We are the body of Christ,
out there and in here.
Here at the end, we pray for God’s
blessing on our lives, and are sent out renewed by Him, and to be together in
fellowship after the service.
It has been such a joy to worship
with you this morning, May God bless you all this week.
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