Made Known to Us

"Ralph," and "Sam," are two words that bring a smile to my face and often a chuckle. That's how the coyote and the sheepdog greeted one another before their shift in the old Warner Brothers cartoons. Sometimes they would stop fighting when the whistle blew for lunch break. It is as if they were friends outside of work, perhaps even neighbours and got along just fine when they weren't at work. It is as if they sang in the same Sunday morning choir and happily broke bread together.

Humans tend not to eat with, that is break bread with, people with whom they are in conflict. Breaking bread together has become symbolic of friendship. It is when the disciples share bread with the stranger that they recognize him to be their teacher, their Lord, their (the) Messiah.

When we break bread together, in communion, we do so in a spirit of friendship. We share in the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ to be in fellowship (communion) with our creator, with God's Son and in the hope that the Holy Spirit joins us and guide us. We invite all others to join us because it is our hope that even strangers can be made friends through the blessing and grace that is made real in the elements of communion.

God's love has been made known to us in the breaking of bread and we share in this fellowship each time we share in communion. And for that I say, "Alleluia!"