October 4th, 2013 Commentary on Henri Nouwen's Daily Meditation

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Daily-Meditation--Jesus--Our-Food-and-Drink.html?soid=1011221485028&aid=X4xpfV5xxy4

In case the above link to Henri Nouwen’s Daily Meditation doesn’t work:

Friday October 4, 2013 

Jesus, Our Food and Drink

Jesus is the Word of God, who came down from heaven, was born of the Virgin Mary through the power of the Holy Spirit, and became a human person.  This happened in a specific place at a specific time.   But each day when we celebrate the Eucharist, Jesus comes down from heaven, takes bread and wine, and by the power of the Holy Spirit becomes our food and drink.  Indeed, through the Eucharist, God's incarnation continues to happen at any time and at any place.

Sometimes we might think:  "I wish I had been there with Jesus and his apostles long ago!"  But Jesus is closer to us now than he was to his own friends.  Today he is our daily bread!

My Commentary:

We are carried through another facet of understanding Father Nouwen portrays about the real presence of Christ at the table.  What stood out for me in today’s meditation is wondering why the Roman Catholics have chosen to set themselves apart from the Lutherans especially if, in many ways, we believe nearly the same thing when it comes to Christ’s presence in the elements at the Eucharist?  But then being human we either choose to explain the mystery of God or simply and purely believe that the Word institutes the sacrament—means of GRACE and it is the mystery and beauty of God as the food of GRACE.  The Romans looked to Aristotle whereas Luther looked to the mystery of GRACE.  I should clarify here, that today’s commentary isn’t to be the RC’s vs. the Lutherans… more than the idea of how well do we understand GRACE?

As you’ve seen in many of these commentaries, I use all caps to type the Word GRACE.  I can’t help but not do that since I can’t find the exact words or defining moments of understanding to personify how my faith has grown to see GRACE as such.  This is the mystery of the Holy Spirit working in my life.  Coming to that table is a powerful experience that shouldn’t be attempted to be explained more than experienced.  GRACE as understood by the Lutheran church is why I am Lutheran—it is magnified, beautiful and approached with humility to let God be God in the sacrament and in our lives.

The last sentence in Nouwen’s meditation reminded me of the time I joked with a friend: “I’d love to ask Jesus the day I die to show me the film to the Book of Acts.  He could point to a cloud and the movie would begin…”  Life would be great if we had all the answers but isn’t it much more powerful to believe that the Book of Acts is the journey of the Holy Spirit creating and transforming the hearts of the disciples to create the church of Christ Jesus!  Like with coming to the table, once the pastor imparts those Words of GRACE coming from God through him going in, with and under the bread and wine… we ARE there—Christ is here: in our very being, with(in) our hearts and under us carrying us when we fall.

God Bless Your Fridays!

Nicole Collins