Opening Prayers

I am the bread of life,
anyone who comes to me shall not hunger,
anyone who believes in me shall never thirst.
Alleluia. Lord, give us this bread always.

The bread of God comes down from heaven,
and gives life to the world.
Alleluia. Lord, give us this bread always.

Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life
And I will raise him up on the last day.
Alleluia. Lord, give us this bread always.

It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is of no avail.
the words I speak, they are spirit and they are life.
Alleluia. Lord, give us this bread always.

Walk with us, Lord,
Along the road of resurrection!
Explain for us, so slow to believe,
the things that scripture says of you.
Break the bread of the Eucharist with us
Stay with us each time night approaches
and the daylight fades in our hearts.
Amen.

The Reflection is from John Pritchard on ‘The sacramental principle’.

“God uses material things as signs and pledges of his grace, and as a means by which we receive them. More than anywhere else we see this principle lived out in the life of Jesus himself. Jesus is the outward and visible sign of God’s presence in the world always and everywhere. He was the human face of God, God’s self-portrait. Quite simply, like Father, like Son.

Jesus seems to be claiming such a special sacramental identity when he says in John's gospel, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’ Christians recognise the truth of this sacramental identity as they understand themselves to be receiving the life of Christ in the bread and wine of the Eucharist.

Once we've recognised what we call the ‘sacramental principle’ in the person of Jesus it becomes easier to see it working out all over the place. The God who we recognise in Jesus is disclosed in and through people, actions and things that carry what we might call ‘added weight’. For example, things such as water, fire, bread, wine and oil may all carry added weight in particular situations. Or certain actions may do the same, such as washing, anointing and breaking bread. The ‘things’ and the ‘actions’ are symbols of something greater than themselves, but even more than symbols, they may make God’s presence and action so vividly alive and real to those encountering them in particular settings that they become sacramental. They become actual agents of change.

The Church of England defines this sacramental principle like this: a sacrament is an ‘outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace’. So the outward sign of baptism is water, and the inward grace is union with Christ in his death and resurrection, the forgiveness of sins and a new birth into God's family, the Church. The outward sign of Holy Communion is bread and wine. The inward grace is the Body and Blood of Christ.

Pushing further still, it's clear that nature can take on a sacramental reality. ‘Earth's crammed with heaven, and every common bush afire with God,’ wrote Elizabeth Barrett Browning. ‘But only he who sees, takes off his shoes.’ In other words, it's the coming together of the person, action or thing, with the recognition by the observer or participant, that causes the sacramental electricity to pass between them. That's when an object or action becomes sacramental.”

In short, the sacramental principle is the idea that ordinary things can disclose the presence and action of God. Can you think of occasions when a person an action or a thing has taken on a sacramental meaning for you? Start developing a discipline of looking back at the day's events. Go through them slowly and try to pick out the moments when God has been visible in the things you've seen and done, and the people you've met.

Concluding Prayers
The Cup of blessing that we bless,
is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ?
The bread that we break,
is it not a sharing in the body of Christ?
Because there is one bread,
we who are many are one body
for we all partake of the one bread.
Merciful God
You have called us to your table
Generous God
You have fed us with the bread of life
Abundant God
Draw us and all people to the service of your Son;
And send us out to bring your peace and goodness to the world. Amen.

With blessings
Rev. Rona