So, I know this is probably totally wrong of me, but I admit that during communion on Sunday I couldn't help but have a few thoughts regarding the "bread" - the "body of Christ, broken for me". Now before you go thinking that this is some sort of moment of divine inspiration, please think again. If you are going to be offended by my ADD and child-like curiosity, just stop reading because I promise you that what follows is missing a whole lot of linkage to divinity.
I grew up in a Baptist church. For communion, we always used these things that my friend Michael refers to as "Baptists Chiclets" (mostly because they look like the Chiclets gum that we used to buy). Well, at the Nazarene church, we used said Chiclets for a while and then switched to what Kate refers to as "Catholic Wafers". I have always been disturbed by these. They taste funny and they have an iridescence about them that is disturbing. Call me crazy, but I don't think anything I put in my mouth should look blue from one angle and purple from another.
So, during communion I decided to investigate said bread a little further. Did you know that when you break a Catholic Wafer in half it looks like styrofoam inside. NOT KIDDING! STYROFOAM! So, curious me thought...hmm, let's lick it and see if it disintegrates. Nope! Didn't even start to lose it's form and I licked on it for quite a while.
I am disturbed and thinking of mounting a campaign against Catholic Wafers! What's wrong with some real unleavened bread, people???
Wednesday Hodgepodge
6 years ago
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5 comments:
I happen to find those "Catholic wafers" comforting! I am mounting a campaign against your campaign! So there!
HA! Are all Catholic wafers created equal? I am not against all Catholic wafers...just those that resemble styrofoam! Seriously, have you ever looked inside of one?
I try my best to focus on Jesus and not on the make-up of the wafer! :)
Sheena - I have a lot of experience with Catholic wafers - I was a Eucharistic Minister for several years at St. Mary's. Yes, the flat wafers all look like Styrofoam inside! And - they are strangely smooth and shiny on the outside. The big circle wafers that get broken into several pieces make dust when they are broken - that looks like sawdust - and the triangle pieces can be a real bitch - they are sharp and can stab the back of your throat! Have to make sure you are working up a good levi garret style spit in your mouth! LoL!!
What I will also share is that the Host varies from church to church. I have had Baptist Chiclets at a Catholic Mass before - AND - I've even had Italian loaf from Kroger (you know, the kind we like to eat at Blue Sky!) at Communion. What is important is not what the bread looks like, or how it tastes but that it has been blessed, and is the Body of Christ (but I'm right there with you - if the wafers are stale, I want nothing more than a bottle of water to wash it down with! It is really difficult to sing in the choir we have stale wafers lodged in our throats for the rest of Mass!). Whatever is accessible, is acceptable! If there was some reason the only bread we could use at Mass was a loaf of Bunny Sandwich bread, I think God would be cool with that! I understand your childlike problem, and ADD - it is really hard for me to concentrate sometimes when there's something weird going on with Communion. I have taken hundreds of fake sips of wine in my day after I look in to see a floater! I'm sorry, Jesus, but after all of the backwash I had to drink when I was a Eucharistic Minister, I won't be chugging anymore floaters down in the near future!
Perhaps you can take a vote and find out what the preferred type of bread is - or even get a group together to make bread to be used at Communion. I have been to a small parish where a group of ladies met once a week to make the Communion bread - that could be a great service and provide fellowship as well. Feel free to tell me I'm a fruit loop! LOL! and sorry that this is lacking organization - but I can't seem to quit moving the sentences around!
Casey - I love you! The end.
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