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Sunday, October 28, 2007

Eucharist = thanksgiving

As so often happens, I arrive at church constricted in spirit and leave differently, in the spaciousness of the Spirit. The transformation is not from one moment to the next, but often I notice it, part-way through the liturgy.

Here is the post-communion prayer we said today. It is one of the alternative ones.

[Presider and People say:]

God of abundance,
you have fed us
with the bread of life and cup of salvation;
you have united us
with Christ and one another;
and you have made us one
with all your people in heaven and on earth.
Now send us forth
in the power of your Spirit,
that we may proclaim your redeeming love to the world
and continue for ever
in the risen life of Christ our Savior.
Amen.

Thanks be to God.

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7 comments:

  1. June ButlerOctober 28, 2007 at 8:31 PM

    Jane, sometimes that happens to me, too. On a few occasions, I don't feel like going at all, but I go anyway, and I'm much the better for it.

    This morning I was very glad to be back in my home church.

    That's a beautiful prayer.

    ReplyDelete
  2. johniebOctober 28, 2007 at 11:10 PM

    Me, too, Mimi; knowing this has gotten me to many a service in an ungrateful mood, which blessedly dissolves; by the Nunc Dimittis I'm often near giddiness.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousOctober 29, 2007 at 1:39 PM

    That's the alternate? Shucks, at St. Thatguy, that's the default.

    (Me too with the yay for dragging my carcass into the church)

    ReplyDelete
  4. AlgernonOctober 29, 2007 at 5:58 PM

    Nearly always happens that way for me. Especially with retreats.

    ReplyDelete
  5. KirstinOctober 31, 2007 at 8:31 PM

    I love EOW.

    And I've had that transformation, many times. Today in chapel, I heard the "courage to love and serve you" line in a deeper way, for the first time. I love when that happens, too.

    Peace of Christ be always with you.

    ReplyDelete
  6. KenOctober 31, 2007 at 9:02 PM

    I don't understand why a note on the healing power of the Eucharist is cross-labeled "self-referential silliness." Since when? What am I not "getting"? BTW, since you didn't ask, and coming from someone who also writes, all writing is self-referential. Silliness is in the mind of the beholder. I belong to an online writing group which is decomposing in vituperative ankle-snapping. It's not silly so much as saddening.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Jane RNovember 1, 2007 at 2:29 AM

    Keni, you are right. It's just that any time I talk about myself on this blog, I tag it with "self-referential silliness." I think I'll take the tag off on this one. I'm still self-conscious about talking about myself here too personally, I think. I do watch my boundaries in the blogosphere.

    I'm glad this little bit of sharing seemed to resonate with people.

    Thanks, all y'all.

    ReplyDelete

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