Jesus said, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
— John 6:35, BCP
This is one of the opening passages of scripture suggested in a section of our Book of Common Prayer labeled, “Communion under Special Circumstances.” The very first rubric (instruction) says, “This form is intended for use with those who for reasonable cause cannot be present at a public celebration of the Eucharist.”
It is quite clear that, for the last 15 weeks, we have not been able to “be present” for a public celebration of the Eucharist in our beloved Nave on the campus of St. Thomas the Apostle due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been my commitment that, in line with both our Bishops Sumner and Smith, we have been in a time of “fasting” from the sacrament of Holy Communion, the participation in the great banquet feast of Jesus Christ. We have spent deliberate time searching for God through Jesus Christ in the simple spaces of life in our journey of Holy Week and the joy-filled resurrection of Easter, in spite of (and maybe even moreover, because of) this lack.
However, this journey of COVID-19 has turned from sprint, to marathon, to Iron Man Triathlon, to whatever is the next great race of endurance beyond that, and we are to (and beyond) the point of needing the sustenance of the sacrament of Holy Communion, that great moment in time when Chronos and Kairos (God’s time and human time) intersect, blessedly again, in the incarnational act of taking Christ’s body into ours. We simply cannot wait for an end to COVID-19. I cannot and you cannot!
So, God provides. A mischievous plan! A way around COVID-19! (Actually this came to me via Mother Sandi Michaels at St. Elisabeth’s/Christ the King in Fort Worth!)
Here’s what we’re going to do, my co-conspirators!
Two of us (because it takes at least two to do this!) will meet at the church (small-c, the building), and consecrate enough host to package a month’s worth of supply for each individual in our parish (and anyone else who would like to participate! Remember, Jesus fed the 5000!). We will be socially-distanced and masked and gloved and shielded and probably hazmat-suited, knowing me!
Next, we will package these hosts into individual zip-lock bags, 5 per bag, enough for each individual to have a month’s supply, and they will be allowed to sit for 72 hours (the time epidemiologists say is necessary for any possible virus to die). Then, on Friday, July 3rd, a receptacle will be placed outside the office door at Inwood and Mockingbird, and people may stop by and retrieve as many of the individual servings as they need for their household (if you have one person, one zip-lock bag; two people, two; and so on!). For those who have no way to get to the church, if you will let me know, we will make sure the appropriate number of bags get to you.
When you get it home, you can wipe the outside of the bag down with a sanitizing wipe, and then you should find a holy spot, something to serve as your home “tabernacle” to put your hosts in, to keep them safe and reverent, for each of the Sundays of July. At the appropriate point in our service, we will each take out one host and consume at the same time, and save the remainder in our “tabernacles” for the rest of the month!
I am so jazzed about this I don’t know what to do! I think it helps us to surmount a really important mountain, because we NEED the sacrament. It simply is not healthy to our souls and our bodies to fast this long from something that is such a fundamental part of our Christian identities, particularly at such a stressful time in the world around us. We need to remember who and whose we are, and communion will help us to do that!
So, if I’ve forgotten some important detail or step, please forgive me. I’m making most of this up as I go along! But I am so grateful to all of you for co-conspiring along with me in this! I think it’s going to be just great!
Yours in love,
Fr. Christopher+
