In the miracle working hands of Christ the ordinary becomes extraordinary. The bread, in a way that transcends physicality, becomes his body. What transformed the ordinary bread into Christ's extraordinary body? The breaking. The transformation of the ordinary into the extraordinary comes after, and only after, the breaking by Christ's hands.
Christians participate in the sacrament of Communion because it is a means of grace by which Christ breaks us to make us what he has created us to be. Communion is not merely a memorial; Christ is really, even if not physically, present with us when we eat and drink at his table. What kind of host would he be if he wasn’t fully present at a meal to which he invites us?
There is no other element in Christian worship that requires more faith than participation in the sacrament of Communion. Connecting with Christ through music, preaching, and prayer makes more sense, logically, than communing with Christ through the eating of bread. Yet, we do it because he asked us to.
Christ does to us what he did to the bread.
Communion, then, clearly requires faith. It is a faith-builder through which Christ breaks us to make ordinary sinners into extraordinary disciples.
If Christ is present in Communion to transform us like he did the bread, so that we too become his body, shouldn’t we take the sacrament more often? How about monthly, maybe even weekly in some seasons? Imagine the thoughtful devotion and creativity we could pour into this dynamic element of Christian worship if it were offered more than a few times a year. We preach, sing, and pray every week and people come back for more. Communion offers what no other element of Christian worship can: a sacred symbol that expresses the fullness of Christ’s presence with us and his relentless desire to break us to make us what he has created us to be. Now that’s a meal that will keep worshipers coming back for more.