Thank you for this wonderful analogy, Father David. I learned as a child that a "sacrament is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace". But your post gave me a mental picture of sacrament that is more powerful. I'm grateful for this story!
Wonderful. You wrote that Christ's love is "not just in our minds. But in our bodies. With taste. With touch."
For thirty five years, I was in a church that, while very dedicated to biblical knowledge and preaching, only celebrated communion a couple times a year. Yes, a year!
And it was all so casual. So for all that word preached, it did not become visible and tangible. I'll never forget the Sunday in 2017 when I received communion in a liturgical setting, and the pastor looking me in the eye, saying, "The body of Christ broken for you, Mark." He said my name! I felt seen by Christ. And whenever I smelled again the bread dipped in the wine, I remembered, "Christ's body broken for you, Mark."
I didn’t include this part, but to this day, I can remember breathing in the scent of my wife on the scarf which brought her to me in Russia. So that is three points of reference: 1)The life we had together as a family in the ‘90’s. 2) the way it transported to me when I was in Russia, and 3) today, 2025 when I think about it.
That is like a sacrament. Outward and visible and still inward and spiritual.
Thank you for this wonderful analogy, Father David. I learned as a child that a "sacrament is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace". But your post gave me a mental picture of sacrament that is more powerful. I'm grateful for this story!
I have loved the memory of that moment so many times. Thanks for reading!
Wonderful. You wrote that Christ's love is "not just in our minds. But in our bodies. With taste. With touch."
For thirty five years, I was in a church that, while very dedicated to biblical knowledge and preaching, only celebrated communion a couple times a year. Yes, a year!
And it was all so casual. So for all that word preached, it did not become visible and tangible. I'll never forget the Sunday in 2017 when I received communion in a liturgical setting, and the pastor looking me in the eye, saying, "The body of Christ broken for you, Mark." He said my name! I felt seen by Christ. And whenever I smelled again the bread dipped in the wine, I remembered, "Christ's body broken for you, Mark."
I didn’t include this part, but to this day, I can remember breathing in the scent of my wife on the scarf which brought her to me in Russia. So that is three points of reference: 1)The life we had together as a family in the ‘90’s. 2) the way it transported to me when I was in Russia, and 3) today, 2025 when I think about it.
That is like a sacrament. Outward and visible and still inward and spiritual.