Now, I know the idea of communion is not foreign. It is, after all, just a google click away.
Take one tasteless unleavened bread wafer and one swallow of wine and one magic ritual that transforms the food into the literal body and blood of Christ (that’s called transubstantiation for all of you non-Catholics and it’s a mystery as to how the eucharist is altered in this way).
The symbolism of it, though. I was wondering, one day, like you do, why Yeshua chose that specifically. They were at a Passover feast. Heck, he could have chosen Lamb and Water for his symbols, right? Lentils and a cup of local herbal tea?
It took me long enough to recognize what he was getting at.
On one hand, you have the simplest of food — unleavened bread. Share that and you are representing god, specifically the bounty that the universe provides to you with a little work.
On the other, wine is a craft and it’s not easy to make a good, palatable drink. It takes time and effort and, often, community to get done. In the end, wine sanctifies unclean water, promotes end-of-the-day relaxation, and provides the impetus for a really good party.
So what is the metaphor in the eucharist? It answers the question “How do you honor one who you respect?”. And the answer is: you share.
Share what sustains you, from your daily bread to something people will toast you with at the end of your life. . That’s how you profess your love for the universe.
It’s how you profess your love for each other.
That’s how you make a good life.