A beautiful tribute to what you and I receive now in the twentieth century. It is the same thing happening on our altar today as happened at the Last Supper in the first century, in the fourth century, in each of the centuries down to our present day. The Church would have us realize that the mystery of the Incarnation that we are about to celebrate at Christmas time is a mystery that is wrapped up in our frequent reception of Holy Communion, because it is the same Lord who took flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary, the same Lord who was born in Bethlehem. It is the same Lord who we also receive this morning in Holy Communion. The Incarnation continues through the ages to our present time.
People gather before the altar in Mississippi or Florida or California.
People receive Holy Communion in South Africa, in Australia and New Zealand, in Canada, in Ireland - throughout the world. It is the one Christ that we all receive. It is a sign of the unity of Christ's body. Because the loaf of bread is one we, many though we are, are one body. These are words that you and I have heard before.