Onsite Worship Suspended for November and December, 2020
October 9, 2020
Dear Friends,
It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that the Re-Opening Committee, Vestry, and I have taken the difficult decision to suspend on-site worship services at St. John’s-Grace after Sunday, October 25th. We will continue to Live-stream all services via ZOOM as usual.
We wish to protect the health and welfare of all of our members, staff, and the general public. Medical experts predict a rise in COVID-19 cases this Fall and Winter Season. Our health and safety protocols require the doors and windows of the church to be open to provide fresh air circulation to prevent the spread of germs. As temperatures drop in November, it will simply be far too cold in the sanctuary.
We will of course continue to maintain a Eucharistic fast, myself as well. These are very trying times. I therefore wish to take up this important new theological issue in this pastoral letter. While Eucharistic fast is difficult, I do believe it can lead to spiritual growth and transformation as does the wilderness experience for Israel and the Christ.
What does it mean to be on Eucharistic fast?
In today’s context, we are not able to share the physical bread and wine of the Holy Communion because of the COVID-19 Epidemic.
There is a long spiritual tradition of fasting in the church, and in many of the world religions. The spiritual benefit of fasting is a mystery – not in that it is obscure, but in that it is vast.
It is good for us to fast to prepare for the Sabbath. Christians have a tradition of fasting from Saturday evening – fasting from eating, drinking, television, parties, etc., so that they can focus on receiving the body and blood of Christ in the Holy Communion. Personally, I enjoy praying evening prayer on Saturday because of the collect for Saturdays:
A Collect for Saturdays
O God, the source of eternal light: Shed forth your unending day upon us who watch for you, that our lips may praise you, our lives may bless you, and our worship on the morrow give you glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
By removing distractions, there is a joy in anticipation of receiving the Holy Sacrament on Sunday morning. So many abstain from business, food and drink, and certain forms of entertainment, to focus on experiencing the real presence of Christ in Word and Sacrament on Sunday morning. The same can be said of fasting during Lent, or while on Spiritual retreat.
Today, we have a new context regarding a Eucharistic fast.
What does it mean to be on Eucharistic fast?
We have never been through this before. How is this different from the fasting I mentioned above?
An Outline of the Faith, or catechism from the Book of Common Prayer, p.857 teaches us:
The sacraments are outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace, given by Christ as sure and certain means by which we receive that grace.
Grace is God's favor toward us, unearned and undeserved; by grace God forgives our sins, enlightens our minds, stirs our hearts, and strengthens our wills.
The two great sacraments given by Christ to the Church are Holy Baptism and the Holy Eucharist.
The Holy Eucharist is the sacrament commanded by Christ for the continual remembrance of his life, death, and resurrection, until his coming again.
The outward and visible sign in the Eucharist is bread and wine, given and received according to Christ's command.
The inward and spiritual grace in the Holy Communion is the Body and Blood of Christ given to his people, and received by faith.
The benefits we receive are the forgiveness of our sins, the strengthening of our union with Christ and one another, and the foretaste of the heavenly banquet which
is our nourishment in eternal life.
In our current context of the COVID-19 Epidemic, we have not received the outward and visible sign of the bread and the wine in that we have not eaten the bread – we have not drunk the wine since March 14th, 2020.
It is so beautiful, so real, so earthy, that Jesus shares the real presence of Christ with us as we physically consume the elements of bread and wine each Sunday. It is of spiritual comfort to us to physically share the Holy Sacrament together.
The question is:
Is the Grace still there in the absence of the outward and physical signs?
I believe it is. We will have a celebration of the Eucharist during our online Sunday worship and continue to practice Spiritual Communion.
It is also important for us to reflect on our own personal experience and share with one another how we feel and what we think in this context. We should also be asking:
Do the current conditions or current context of epidemic lead us to re-examine the theology of the Eucharist itself?
For me personally, the reflection on Eucharistic Fast has been fruitful.
Christ sacrificed his body and his blood for us and we remember this sacrifice by celebrating the Lord’s Supper – the Holy Eucharist.
Today, we, in imitation, must sacrifice for one another by keeping Eucharistic Fast. We do not want to cause any harm. We do not want to spread the COVID-19 virus. Jesus heals us. We heal and sustain life in Jesus’ name.
I have been very sad during this epidemic, quarantine, and shut-down. I miss everyone and there is nothing I would like more than to share the Lord’s Supper together in person. And yet, there are many of our loved ones, like Ann, Martha, Marian, Joan, Van, Millie, Virginia, Bob, and so many others, who cannot be with us in the Sanctuary.
We are on Eucharistic Fast and it is an act of sacrificial love so that we will not harm others by spreading the virus. It is also an act of sacrificial love in that we are in solidarity with those we love who cannot be here with us today. This act of sacrificial love also bears prophetic witness to those who do not work actively to protect human health and life during this Global Pandemic.
The Rev’d Jon F. Lavelle, Rector
St. John’s-Grace Episcopal Church