Can't Nail Me Down

The thing I love about symbols is that they can't be nailed down to one-and-only-one meaning. The same goes for rituals. (Where 'symbol' ends and 'ritual' begins, who can say; I think they overlap).

I realized this today during the celebration of communion.

What might communion mean to the others standing with me:

- I celebrate because Jesus died for my sins: he shed his blood so that I might be forgiven and be accepted before God.
- I celebrate a meal of fellowship: everyone who stands with me now is my brother and sister, someway, somehow. Through all time and in all places, everyone in history who has ever gathered at the communion table is family.
- I celebrate for hope: everytime I eat the bread and drink the wine I remember the Lord's death until he comes. I celebrate in hope for a transformed world, a transformed me.
- I celebrate for deliverance: just as the Israelites celebrated their exodus--their deliverance from oppression and bondage--with the Passover meal, so I to celebrate my deliverance from the powers (political, social, religious, psychological, spiritual, etc...) that try to oppress and control me.
- I celebrate to encounter God: as a sacrament, the bread and wine in a physical and tangible way mediate the grace and love of God to me. As I eat and drink, I encounter the loving presence of God with me.
- I celebrate for healing: as someone broken and hurt, I celebrate with the one who's body was also broken; I stand unified to the man--God's viceroy--who suffered, and was raised complete - without suffering. I am at one with the divine love that gives grace to the suffering.

And, as I'm sure, many more options as well.

I have experienced a bit of all of those at different times. One communion may have one meaning vivid in my mind and heart, the next month may have a complete different one. Or perhaps two meanings are most vivid. Rarely more - never all.

That is the beautiful thing about 'symbolic rituals' (now there's your synthesis!). They just plain refuse to be nailed down. It's going to mean different things to different people at different times. Of course, the official church version seems to be the first (and often only the first) meaning. I think this is an unfortunate reality in our church. I wish that we would explore and articulate all the rich meanings of the eucharist. And we should celebrate the fact that one (relatively) simple ritual has such depth, such power.

It's a symbol that just can't be nailed down.

All pun intended.

Cheers,
Kev