The Forum last week discussed the concept of “open Communion”, that is, what happens when Communion is restricted to the baptized, and what are the arguments for opening it to all.
A couple of years ago, the blog “Fr Jake Stops the World” reviewed “Take this Bread” by Sarah Miles. In this book, the author describes her experience with open Communion at St Gregory of Nyssa church in San Francisco. This experience was her epiphany: she joined TEC and went on to organize the church’s food kitchen for the homeless and poor of SF. Fr Jake contemplated her conversion, and addressed it thus:
Some of us may not recall a particularly ecstatic moment of conversion. Others may have such experiences regularly, even daily. I think that difference has more to do with our personalities than anything else. What I hope we can all acknowledge is that God is madly, head over heals in love with each and every one of us, and is constantly wooing us into being. Sometimes, when the veil is thrown back, and we glimpse the depth of this love, “something outrageous and terrifying” happens…Jesus happens.
Regardless of where you find yourself on this question, it’s a good book to read.
If you want to read the whole post and comments on Fr Jake’s blog, click here.
