Broken || Remembering Brokenness

There was always this “special Sunday” the older kids in Children’s church got leave to be a part of.  There was some arbitrary age in which you could go upstairs before the end of the service.

One day, I was deemed “old enough.”  It didn’t happen after a certain birthday - it just happened.

And so I got in line with the other “big kids.”  I marched up the steps and into the sanctuary with confidence.  The “big kids” got to sit in the back row.  Not the last row of the normal pews - but the one behind the aisle and along the back wall. I felt like a queen.

I searched for my parents among the people.  I saw my grandparents next to them.  They didn’t see me wave to them.  They were focused on the pastor up front. And then I saw what everyone was looking at….

Food!!!  The pastor had food!  That’s what the big kids came up for?  While the little kids got a little snack, the big kids sometimes got a second snack!  This is great!

The broken bread.  That’s where we stopped in the last blog.  We stopped with broken bread and a lot of unanswered questions - a lot of what if’s.

Communion - the sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts and feelings, especially when the exchange is on a mental or spiritual level (source)

Communion - where the Church shares in Christ’s brokenness.

For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

--Luke 22:18-20

Think about it - isn’t that kind of strange? Jesus tells us to remember Him when he is broken.

He doesn’t tell us to remember Him while He was doing miracles on earth.  I mean I’ll always remember a guy who can turn water into a good cab sav.  But that’s not what He says - He takes the bread. He gives thanks and breaks it. That is what He asks us to remember - thanksgiving and brokenness.

As my little eyes dart to the front of the sanctuary at the table, the pastor broke the bread and raised the cup of juice.  He read from Luke 22 to everyone.  Then the ushers walked to the front and grabbed silver plates.  I watched as the plates left the first usher’s hands.  The first person in the pew received it, grabbed a piece of bread, and then passed the plate to the next person.  The next person did the same - received it, grabbed a piece of bread, and then passed the plate to the next person.  Up and down the rows the plate went, each person receiving the plate, grabbing a piece of bread, and then passing the plate on.

Another silver tray comes with little cups of grape juice.  Again - receive, grab, and pass up and down each row.

Isn’t that quite an image...receiving brokenness, grabbing it, and passing it on.

So why does Jesus ask us to remember this moment?  Why remember His brokenness?  Why do we receive it, grab onto it, and pass it on?

I think because in Christ’s brokenness - through His brokenness - comes life; comes abundance.

Could this be what it means to live in the encircling embrace of communion: brokenness giving way to abundance - and then abundance, when is then broken and given….gives way to an even great abundance?

--Ann Voskamp