Communion. Where are we today?

Here's a usual Sunday scenario: we come to church and the pastor announces that we are going to take communion today. The tables are set, the tiny cups of grape juice and something that slightly reminds me of bread are all in place. The sermon usually centers around Mathew 26 or Mark 14 when Jesus blessed the bread and wine and gave it to the disciples as a symbol of His body broken for us and for His blood that was poured for our sins.

Then everyone is invited to take communion but not without a warning what would happen if we didn't take it in a worthy manner. Is it my imagination or Russ did look at me when saying that? I sink deeper in my chair waiting for the lights to go out and for the worship music to start. After a couple songs make my way to the table, grab a piece bread and the tiny cup and go back to my seat trying not to bump into anyone and not to spill the juice on some one's knee.

Feeling guilty of being grumpy to my husband in the morning, not reading enough Bible and being an unworthy creature in general I eat the bread and drink my juice. Lights go on. Church service is over. The few unbelievers that did show up in the beginning are now gone thinking that Christians are kinda weird and religion is a bunch of silly rituals.

Is that how it is in most churches? Is that how it was in the early church? In Acts we see people breaking bread in their homes (2:46) and sharing meals. We see Paul rebuking those who abused taking a meal together in the church in 1 Cor. calling it the Lord's Supper. So what was a Communion really like back then? Maybe people came together as a church, gave thanks and broke bread and drank wine together in remembrance of Christ? Maybe they talked about how thankful they were with each other? Maybe they told unbelievers why it is that they do this to remember Jesus and what this Jesus had done for them? Maybe people got saved?

The word "communion" itself means "sharing" in Latin and "fellowship" in Greek. The church that introduced communion as we know it today was actually Catholic and they believe that the bread and wine they serve are not symbols but the real body and blood of Christ. But somehow communion looks the same in all churches today.

So what if we came to church on Sunday and had communion of an "early" style? What if there was enough bread and juice to really eat and drink? What if during communion we didn't hide and the lights didn't go down but people could talk and share and laugh out of joy because of what Christ has done for us? What if we could cry together? What if we could tell a random person what Jesus has done in our lives in particular? What if... we just did made different this time?