Sep 26

WHEN I AM AMONG THE TREES

From Thirst by Mary Oliver

When I am among the trees,

especially the willows and the honey locust,

equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,

they give off such hints of gladness.

I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself,

in which I have goodness, and discernment,

and never hurry through the world

but walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves

and call out, “Stay awhile.”

The light flows from their branches.

And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,

“and you too have come

into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled

with light, and to shine.”

Sep 17

Today’s communion chapel was led by Paul DeNeui, Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies and Missiology. For this Thai encultured worship service he paraphrased the traditional Covenant “Invitation to the Lord’s Supper” in this refreshing way:

Invitation: “Brothers and sisters, we are invited to come and participate here together at this sacred meal celebrating the One who is Lord. Before we celebrate let me share this:

Warnings

(1) Do not participate today because you have been forced to or because you feel you have to but participate because you recognize an inner need from deep within your heart.

(2) Do not participate today because you want to display your personal piety here or to show how righteous you are before all these people. Instead, participate today in order to display your sincere love for the One who is Lord and that you intend to be one of his lifelong disciples.

(3) Do not participate today to show how important you are or how worthy you are to receive such a gift, but participate in this meal because you know how sinful you are. Participate today knowing that in yourself you are not worthy to receive the grace of the One who is Lord but participate because you want to celebrate his decision to give you this gift of his agape love.

(4) Finally, do not participate today to excuse yourself or your bad behavior but participate because you submit completely to the One who is Lord. Participate because you wish to demonstrate your willing desire to enter into an increasingly closer walk with him in order to become more and more like him.

(Wai) I Corinthians 11:23-26 says, “The story that I have entrusted to you before was given to me from the One who is Lord. It goes this way: On the night that Phra Yesu was shamefully betrayed by those closest to him, he took sticky rice and raised it up (demonstrate with the loaf). When he had finished giving the prayer of thanks for it, he broke it in two and said, “Look. This is my body that I give to all of you. Partake of this and when you do, remember me.” After they had all eaten, Phra Yesu took the final cup, raised it in the same way after giving thanks and said, “Look. This cup is the new covenant through my own blood. Whenever you drink out of this cup, drink it to remember me.” The reason he said this is that at whatever time or occasion you eat and drink this meal you are actually announcing again the willing death of the One who is Lord until he returns to us again.”

What are your impressions? Do you have other paraphrases of “invitation to the Lord’s Supper?