Come To The Table

Something I have observed since I have been in multiple countries and on Sundays finding churches in differing languages that I do not speak... is that there is unity in Communion.
In Italy I went to mass at this beautiful, very old church. I loved worshiping with Italian brothers and sisters, though I had no idea what was being spoken or sung. It was like water for my soul. But towards the end of the service when mass was celebrated and we all went forward to receive communion... that was really powerful for me. Like, I have no idea what these people are saying for 3/4 of the service, but the universal truth of Jesus' broken body and shed blood - supercedes language. I thought that was beautiful.
Then in Marseille with Betsy was a very different setting. There were about 50-60 Christians in this fellowship, tucked into a quite basic space that from the outside, you'd barely know was even there. And again, the tall Lionel-Richie-esque preacher man spoke, I had no idea what he was saying. But at the end of the service, everyone stood up and made a circle and a woman up front led Communion. She broke the bread, passed it around the circle. She poured the wine, and a man came around with the goblet. Very intimate. When they started singing in French tears started cascading down my face, surprise surprise. But I didn't even, at that time, realize how starving I was for worship and the sweetness of Jesus in fellowhip. My little soul was so nurtured. And then, the next song they sang in french, but thankfully the 14 year Christian-school upbringing came through seeing as how I have heard every praise song known to man. This allowed me to participate in English with a little Shine Jesus Shine. A real favorite from the mid nineties. That's right, flow river, flow.

Seriously though, the beauty of communion. It is universal. The unifier and equalizer. Come to the table. It made me thing of Isaiah 55
"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; all you who have no money, come, buy, and eat! Come buy wine and milk without money and without cost...... Listen, listen to me and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare, Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live."

My little soul was starving and thirsty, but barely knew it - and I came to the table. And my soul did delight in the richest of fare. Mmmm, Lovely. I seriously just love the Lord.