Often he was accused of eating with “sinners.” One of the doctrines of the United Methodist Church that gives me the greatest joy is that we honor an open table at communion – all are invited – all ages – all races – all economic status – you do not have to belong to our church or any church to come to the table. That is not true in all churches, but it is true in ours and for that I give God thanks because I believe his table is open to all.
Both the foot washing and the Holy Meal appeal to me because they are not just a “head experience”, but experiential. You smell, you taste, you feel, you touch! The problem in this strange season of our world when we for safety need to stay separate, you cannot do either of these without being close to one another, for they are done in community and not in solitude.
This year I want to invite you on Thursday evening, maybe at the close of your evening meal, whenever that takes place to reclaim a traditional Methodist ritual called THE LOVE FEAST. John and Charles Wesley borrowed this idea from the Moravians. Many you may associate that with the Moravian Love Feast at Christmas Eve. The Love Feast was not intended to be sacramental as Communion is. It is not something that Jesus did to offer or teach us grace. It is a practice that some in the Church have done to help us encourage one another in the faith.
In Methodist Circles most often some bread and some water are used. Each person just needs some bread, any kind will do and a cup or glass of water. A simple prayer might be for an individual or a family: Lord, bless our time together. We remember that you told us that you are the bread of life and you promised the woman at the well that you would give her water that wells up to eternal life. Bless our sharing time with your presence. Amen.
While you eat the bread and drink the water, you are each encouraged to share with one another some witness of how God has made you stronger, or maybe something that has happened in your life where you saw the glory of God. If you want to sing or just hum a verse or more of a favorite hymn, just do it. It doesn’t matter how long or short you do it – just do it until it feels good! Maybe you can tell your favorite communion experiences – your first communion, a retreat experience, a funny thing that happened at communion, when it seemed the most powerful to you, what you most look forward to at our next communion.
The Foot Washing story is found in John 13:1-1713 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
The Communion story can be found in Matthew 26:17-30 17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”
18 He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.
20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”
22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”
23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”
Jesus answered, “You have said so.”
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the[a] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
This is one of my favorite Communion Hymns that can be sung anytime:
Here, O my Lord, I see thee face to face;
here would I touch and handle things unseen;
here grasp with firmer hand eternal grace,
and all my weariness upon thee lean.
This is the hour of banquet and of song;
this is the heavenly table spread for me;
here let me feast, and feasting, still prolong
the hallowed hour of fellowship with thee.
Here would I feed upon the Bread of God,
here drink with thee the royal Wine of heaven;
here would I lay aside each earthly load,
here taste afresh the calm of sin forgiven.
Feast after feast thus comes and passes by;
yet, passing, points to the glad feast above,
giving sweet foretaste of the festal joy,
the Lamb’s great bridal feast of bliss and love.