A Small Piece of Heaven
Here you are in this small room
preparing for the gift of
Eucharist with the Christ.
Seated, you observe the entrance
of others that you’ve known
in some way since childhood
your eyes widen with wonder as Mary
the Mother sits next to you,
looks up and smiles
and calls you by name saying,
“Welcome home, dear one!” while dinner
bowls are placed on the table.
Before long the others joke
and tease, all 12 apostles
the forgiven Judas included.
Mary Magdalene enters
with bread and a new wineskin.
Now Jesus smiles and blesses them.
Incredulous is the only
appropriate word to use
when present while gifts that
have been shared for over
two thousand years become
alive and palpable to us all.
Mary Magdalene speaks up
and we all follow her lead saying
Our Lord’s Prayer, one line
then another with conviction
a response to the holy
connection before the
disciples tease and show kindness
through warm hearts and I realize
God’s Love Flows through you and me.
John 6:35-37 (CEB)
Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But I told you that you have seen me and still don’t believe. Everyone whom the Father gives to me will come to me, and I won’t send away anyone who comes to me.
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A very familiar story precedes this one at the beginning of John 6. It is one that you might repeat at a funeral luncheon when more people than planned come to eat! Do not worry, remember that Jesus fed more than 5,000 people with two fish and five loaves of bread, so we have confidence there will be enough to go around. That is even more unusual when considering how hungry the people must have been after walking for miles to hear and see Jesus.
As we make our way through the book of Genesis this month, we see a common theme. God takes care of God’s people.
A week from this Saturday and Sunday, we will celebrate Holy Communion together once again. This poem is a week early so that you time to open your hearts to the liturgy beforehand. Can you imagine yourself being seated at the same table as Jesus, the Mary’s, and the apostles?
Back in the day, Jewish people couldn’t have helped but thought of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness and that God sent manna from heaven each day for as long as they needed it. Jesus says, “I am the bread of life.” In this week prior to receiving, pray about what that means to you.
- How has God sustained you in the past?
- Do you accept God’s promises for sustenance in the future?
Don’t you think this heat and humidity is good for pondering deep things while eating fresh fruit and sipping a cold drink? After all, who feels like doing much of anything else? We give thanks for the dedicated followers of Jesus who cannot help but ask what they can do to help others in love after experiencing the Christ in softened hearts.
Rev. Faith Kubai, Rev. Jerry Brabec, and I pray for you and send our love and peace,
Marta
Rev. Marta Wheeler