Come, for all things are ready
by Faye Schmidt
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When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognised him (Luke 24:30,31a).
Read Luke 24:13–49
After the bread and wine are consecrated during a holy communion service, we receive an invitation to ‘Come, for all things are ready’. Those distributing the bread and wine have sanitised their hands, the cup has been filled, and the bread lies on the plate. Where there are individual cups, they are in their tray, ready for use. They are waiting for us.
But are we ready? Do we recognise who we are meeting when we come to the table? Do we just see the bread and wine? Are we just concentrating on how we kneel or stand before the altar and who is next to us?
In our reading today, we learn that the travellers only recognised Jesus when he broke the bread, just as he had that evening in the upper room with the disciples before going to his death the next day.
Do we recognise that it is Jesus coming to us, meeting with us, as we kneel at the altar to receive the bread and wine? Are we ready for that? Are we prepared for that?
It is truly here at the communion rail that we meet with Jesus and receive his gift of grace and mercy.
Here we meet you once again, God of mercy, God of grace.
Feed us now with this bread and wine as we meet you face to face.
(Adapted from ‘Face to Face’, Robin Mann, 1978, no. 71 in All Together Now)
It is truly amazing that our Lord Jesus Christ humbled himself unto death on the cross for our sake and then comes to us in the humble means of the consecrated bread and wine.
Do you know it is him?
Through your Holy Spirit, Lord, increase our faith so we may recognise you and your saving grace in the bread and wine laid before us. Amen.
Faye Schmidt continues her diaconal calling through governance, having served on the Vic–Tas District Church Board, the General Church Board and currently as chair of her congregation, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Adelaide. Having lived and worked in many locations within Australia and overseas, Faye has a heart for the stranger and the newcomer and for being open to new ideas, learning from others and responding to needs.
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