Our group discussed the notion of silence as construed in Chapter 4, "Receiving".
Being awake to silence is a way to center ourselves for our experiences at the altar during communion, when we are invited into what Jesus calls heaven. Pastor Dan likes to invoke a period of silent contemplation by having the congregation "keep our heads down and hearts up." This is a reminder to "do nothing" (not even try to clear one's mind), but remain whole while bathing in silence. This allows the experience of communion to most deeply touch and heal every part of our integrated lives.
This prescription in communion to "do nothing" strikes Americans awkwardly. "Working hard for what you get is ingrained in our psyches;
it's the advice we give our children and students, the very basis of the
American Dream." (p. 39) "By making our greatest and most important goal the one of
productivity, we miss out on the ways that God's gifts of Grace come to
us by doing nothing." (p. 41)
Next Sunday, we'll discuss Chapter 5, "Afterwards" (p. 51+). Think about how these questions relate:
1. How did you feel after your last communion? Can you recall that feeling just before participating in the next communion?
2. When you're taking communion, take note of the people immediately around you, even if you don't know their names. Pray for each of them before and after. Pray for them daily in the week following communion. How does this affect your practice of taking the sacred meal? Does it change the way you view the world around you?
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