I don’t want to make lite of the whole Swine Flu thing. The CDC can’t be blamed for handling the situation the way that they are. It’s not their fault that a potentially dangerous strain of flu has sprung up at the same time news media seems to be dropping like flies. The papers and 24 hour news networks needed a story with legs to sell advertising, and they got one. Fear sells.
On the other hand, it boggles my mind when Churches discontinue the practice of Communion becuase of a a strain of flu. It’s inexcusable, it really is. Yes, I know the whole possible transmission fears – I have two kids in school, I get it. On the other hand, Communion is something that Churches have refused to stop practicing throughout history when under the threat of death from a hostile worldly power – we’re going stop because of a new strain of flu? Really?
Look, I don’t have problems taking precautions. Encouraging the use of hand sanitizer and asking people to stay home if they’re ill (as long as the Deacons bring Communion to those people later in the week) are things I have no problems with. I’d ask people who are older with weakened immune systems to stay home if they feel uneasy, but this flu doesn’t seem to be going after them as much. Refusing to practice Communion, however, just boggles my mind. The only way that I can think people justify such a decision is if they believe nothing “real” happens in the act of partaking the images of Jesus’ body and blood.
Oh, that’s right. If Communion is nothing more than “mere symbol” then there really is no reason to “risk” taking it. Len Sweet summed up my thoughts on this with one, beautiful, tweet this morning:
Our Joe-Biden fearmongering response to swine-flu reveals wussification of church. One church’s “precautions” for Sunday http://bit.ly/Om0zG
Amen Len.
Oh, by the way, we are in a county where actual cases have been reported. We’ll be passing the peace, and taking communion, and won’t be canceling our fellowship lunch/spring meeting. So, if you’re coming to Central, bring some hand sanitizer and a surgical mask if you must – but come, and worship.
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Wow…but not too surprising. As you point out, when “Communion” is little more than a memorial service, and the bread and wine are just bread and wine (or grape juice), then, well…
(BTW, I put “Communion” in quotes there because, with that attitude, I just want to ask, “Communion with who?”)
This reminds me of a story I heard once about St. John Maximovitch (a 20th Century Russian bishop who served his flock in China, then France, then, finally, San Francisco, CA, and also the patron Saint of the parish I attend). He was visiting a woman who was ill with rabies to bring her Communion. After receiving it, she vomited it up. St. John bent down, and picked up the Sacrament, and went to eat it himself (doing his priestly duty), and the people said to him, “What are you doing? Rabies is terribly contagious?” He responded, “What are you talking about? This is the Body and Blood of the Lord!” and ate it. They watched him for some time, but he never showed a sign of illness.
I wonder if our priest, Fr. Jacob, was thinking of this when he said one Holy Saturday that you can’t catch an illness from Communion (I assume he was addressing a concern from one of the newly-Chrismated, because the priest feeds Communion to each person on a spoon).
I understand the desire for precaution, but I know for a fact no Catholic church is going to cancel the Eucharist. I can see many churches going to just bread only though so that people aren’t sharing the common cup, mainly because people probably would pass it by in this current climate anyway.
Wow, that is pretty crazy. I can understand encouraging people who feel sick to stay home, but to cancel communion? AND the “meet-and-greet” time? What’s the point of going to church then?
Well said, Wes.